Nikola Vucevic admits that he sometimes wonders what he is doing in Chicago because the losses and trade rumors are piling up
this year, Nikola Vucevic is under the microscope. He is in the middle of his final contract year with Chicago Bulls, surrounded by trade rumors.
Without a doubt, Vucevic is exhausted for that much at one time, according to Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. The Bulls are a losing team, Vucevic has not been a defensive force and is tired of all the trade rumors.
However, Vucevic wonders why he is in the Windy City.
“It’s not always easy, to be honest with you, when the team is struggling, when you’re struggling, when things aren’t going your way,” he said. “It’s happened a few times and sometimes it’s hard. Those questions get in your head and you think about it and you get into it, especially when things aren’t going well. I think it’s natural, it’s human nature, but you just have to find a way to limit it as much as possible.”
The Bulls lost to the New Orleans Pelicans 114-104 on Sunday. Vucevic finished with 12 points and eight rebounds. This year, Vučević did not hold back in his criticism of the team’s workeven in victory.
At the same time, he tries not to fixate on trade rumors.
“I’m not going to sit here and say, ‘No, that didn’t happen to me.’ There is,” said Vucevic. “You get frustrated and you shut down. But you try to regroup and find a way to stay locked in because we all have a part in this.”
Full review of Nikola Vucevic’s time with the Bulls
2021, Taurus acquired by Vucevic in the trade with the Orlando Magic. Two years later, he signed a three-year, $60 million extension with Chicago.
Vucevic (35) averaged 18.2 points per game over six seasons in Chicago. This year, he is averaging 15.6 points and 9.4 rebounds per game.
However, his main weakness is his defensive play. Something that doesn’t go unnoticed by the head coach Billy Donovan.
“He wasn’t a great rim protector,” Donovan said. “He tried to play his verticals, but he’s not a shot blocker. He’s not a rim protector. That’s not who he is. To be productive in the pick-and-roll, it’s a partnership between him and the guard.”
The Bulls will play the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday.
2025-12-15 18:14:00
