The Chicago Bulls are clearly heading in a new direction. And with the franchise entering what appears to be a longer-term reset, there is little doubt that Nikola Vucevic will not be part of the picture past the 2026 trade deadline.
Vucevic is entering the final year of his contract, and while the Bulls have yet to find a suitor in a potential trade, the expectation around the league is that one way or another, he will be moved. If no trade emerges by February, a buyout seems to remain very much in play. The former All-Star is not a long-term fit with the way this team is being restructured, and his salary slot becomes more valuable to Chicago in the form of future flexibility than as a fading presence in the rotation.