The Chicago Bulls are hoping to run back the same team next year, according to Arturas Karnisovas. After the season ended in play-in defeat this past year, he revealed Chicago had no plans of rebuilding. Despite recent rumblings the team has been exploring Zach LaVine trades, it looks like the Bulls are pushing forward with the same group.
The biggest indication of this is the recent contract extension they handed big man Nikola Vucevic. Chicago re-signed Vucevic to a three-year, $60 million contract. With that money and length, it seems unlikely the team pivots to a rebuild.
Plus, according to long-time NBA insider Marc Stein and his newsletter, “The Stein Line,” the deal is fully guaranteed with no options attached.
“Nikola Vučević’s three-year, $60 million contract extension with the Bulls is fully guaranteed, league sources say, with a season-by-season breakdown of $18.5 million, $20 million and $21.5 million,” Stein reported.
No non-guaranteed money, no player option, no team option, just four fully-guaranteed years. Vucevic will be in Chicago for the next three seasons, barring a trade.
The veteran big man was solid for the Bulls this past year, playing in all 82 games while averaging 17.6 points and 11 rebounds per contest. He is 32 and will turn 33 at the beginning of next season.
With the new CBA being ushered in, the Bulls actually signed Vucevic at a decent price. However, if they fail to field a competitive team around him, LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, it may all be for naught.
