According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Chicago Bulls are likely going to buy Nikola Vucevic out during next season if they cannot find a trade partner for him (YouTube link).
“There hasn’t been much of a market for Nikola Vucevic all along, dating back to last trade deadline,” Fischer said. “I think at this juncture, we’re probably more likely to see a Nikola Vucevic buyout midseason than we are to see a trade.”
The 34-year-old still provides a lot of value on the court. Last season, he averaged 18.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 73 games. Additionally, he shot 53% from the field and 40.2% from beyond the arc.
As the Indiana Pacers aim to find their Myles Turner replacement after he joined the Milwaukee Bucks earlier this offseason, there are reasons to immediately look at Vucevic. However, the cons outweigh the pros, and the team is better off sticking with their current plan and simply letting it ride.
The Pacers should not pursue Nikola Vucevic
First things first, Vucevic is playing exceptionally well, even given his age. He remains one of the top stretch bigs in the league, and he will likely be a hot commodity if Chicago does ultimately buy him out next season. However, he does not make much sense for the Pacers for a variety of reasons.
Most notably, the Swiss native is going to be 35 years old in October. He is far from a long-term center solution for the Pacers. Additionally, while the team is not going to treat it as such, next season is most likely a gap year for Indiana, where they will not be in legitimate title contention. Vucevic does not fit the team's timeline, making his fit with the team questionable.
Additionally, the Pacers already have some intriguing big man options currently on the team. It is not ideal, and there are still some concerns about it. However, the Pacers' center committee is probably their best bet right now. Holding a competition with Isaiah Jackson, James Wiseman, Jay Huff, and Tony Bradley has a lot of potential, and it makes sense to rely on this, especially since they can all be long-term contributors in Indiana. Vucevic would immediately be the best player of the bunch, but the potential of the other guys is intriguing enough not to mess with.
It is also important to realize that Vucevic does not fit the Pacers' system. Sure, he can stretch the floor and is still dependable on offense. It also helps that he is still a great rebounder. However, he provides little to no value on defense, and he cannot run the floor like some of Indiana's other options. Even with their offense expected to look different in Tyrese Haliburton's absence, Vucevic is still not worth incorporating for the Pacers.
They still have a lot of questions to answer regarding their center position. Unfortunately for the Pacers, they may not get their answers until well into the regular season. Even so, the players on the roster deserve a chance to fight it out. Vucevic is still a solid player and can contribute, but it would be best for both sides if he aims to do that outside of Indiana.