Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vučević is certainly willing to return to the team when he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer, but he noted that there are many factors when deciding on his next destination.
Last year, Vucevic averaged 17.6 points per game for the Bulls, shooting 52.0 percent from the field, averaging 11.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.
Vucevic signed a four-year, $100 million contract with the Orlando Magic in 2019. Two years later, the rebuilt Magic handed the big man to the Bulls before the 2021 trade deadline, and the Bulls later added DeMar DeRozan and Lonzo Ball in hopes of competing for a championship.
The 12-year veteran is doing well in Chicago, averaging 18.2 points and 11.1 boards per game. However, the Bulls didn't live up to expectations, winning just one playoff game last year and missing the playoffs altogether this season.
Ball was sidelined for almost all of those two years with injury, which was certainly a factor, but the Bulls struggled after being eliminated.
Chicago should probably let Vucevic go and aim for future reconstruction, because this core talent may have reached its peak.
Zach LaVine is locked into a long-term contract that runs until 2026 (or 2027 if he picks players). DeRozan is about to enter the final year of his contract. Ball has one year left on his contract, but he has a choice of his 2024-25 season player option.
Vucevic will turn 33 early next season, but he's a double-double machine with three-point range that should be able to find a market for his service. It's unclear if that's going to be in Chicago, but he's just one of many question marks the Bulls have encountered this offseason after a disappointing season.