Chicago Bulls urged to draft starter’s replacement amid trade rumors

For a moment at least, the Chicago Bulls looked like a team in March and early April that might try to forgo a major rebuild when they were one of the hottest teams in the NBA.

Following sobering losses to the Oklahoma City Thunder near the end of the regular season and a 109-90 thumping by the Miami Heat at the United Center in the Play-In Tournament, the Bulls must reconsider selling off pieces and restarting the process of a rebuild.

Coby White and Nikola Vucevic are prime assets for a trade this summer.

Nikola Vucevic wanted to stay with the Chicago Bulls

Following the Bulls’ 129-119 win over the Denver Nuggets on March 24, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times reported that Vucevic was leaning towards wanting to stay with Chicago rather than hoping for a trade in the summer so he could play for a championship contender.

“One player who’s suddenly buying in — and would like to stay another season and finish out his contract — is Vucevic,” Cowley wrote. “That’s a bit surprising, especially after good friend DeMar DeRozan was traded to the Kings and Alex Caruso to the Thunder last summer, followed by the LaVine trade.

“All signs had pointed to Vucevic being traded by the Feb.  6 deadline, and when he wasn’t, there were concerns he’d check out.”

Bulls urged to draft Vucevic’s replacement

Julia Poe of the Chicago Sun-Times believes the Bulls still intend to shop Vucevic this summer and will likely execute a trade by the deadline next season. Poe thinks the Bulls must take a center in the draft to replace Vucevic.

“Whether or not the Bulls manage to move Vučević this summer, drafting a center should be a priority for the front office in the next two years,” Poe wrote. “Although the Bulls have a few genuinely promising options at guard and wing positions, their current frontcourt is threadbare. Zach Collins is a perfectly reasonable stopgap, but the Bulls need to bring star power into the position.”

Poe thinks center Jalen Smith is another trade asset for the Bulls this summer.

Vucevic has been a key player on the Bulls’ offense in head coach Billy Donovan’s system. However, Chicago would be wise to find a rim protector with their next center.

Defense and second-chance points were costly in losses this season, especially in the Play-In Tournament, and it’s another reason why prolonging a rebuild with Vucevic makes no sense.

At 34, Vucevic is coming off a season where he averaged 18.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game.

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