Bulls ink center Nikola Vucevic to three-year, $60 million extension
Before the free agency frenzy begins on Friday afternoon, the Chicago Bulls handled a top priority. They inked former All-Star center Nikola Vucevic to a three-year, $60 million extension that prevents him from hitting the open market.
Want $250 to bet on the NFL?
Chicago has placed significant value on the 32-year-old being a key part of the long-term future. He put together his first campaign playing in all 82 regular-season games. He averaged a double-double with 17.6 points and 11.0 rebounds for the second straight campaign while shooting 52.0 percent from the floor and 34.9 percent from beyond the arc.
Vucevic isn’t one of the game’s top big men, but he’s become a highly dependable offensive factor. His production has been a prominent piece of the puzzle.
The Bulls are in an interesting spot after falling well short of the playoffs last season. Injuries and performance inconsistency hampered the team.
Vucevic, Zach LaVine, and DeMar DeRozan led the charge offensively, but the Bulls couldn’t muster any strong stretches to capture a playoff spot. Chicago fell short in the play-in tournament that saw the Miami Heat snag the eighth seed, which started their eventual deep playoff run to the NBA Finals.
Read: Saints’ Derek Carr Motivated By Raiders Exit
Chicago’s offseason plans will showcase what direction the team will head beyond Vucevic. Trade rumors continue to hover around LaVine, while DeRozan could also become part of that discussion.
The Bulls are in a tough transition spot that could see a rebuild ahead to get them toward putting together a team that could compete for more than a playoff spot.
