Chicago Bulls Must Trade Nikola Vucevic in the Offseason, And This is the Perfect Move

If there is one thing abundantly clear after the Chicago Bulls’ 109-90 loss to the Miami Heat and swift elimination from the NBA Play-In Tournament it’s that they need to part ways with Nikola Vucevic quickly.

The Bulls didn’t lose solely because of Vooch. Josh Giddey cannot guard a parked car–sitting on concrete blocks–and the Bulls’ emotional leader Cody White still lacks the poise and hoops IQ to lead in tough situations. Still, Vooch’s defense and effort were so poor on Wednesday night that it made queasy. He finished the night with 16 points, 12 rebounds, a steal and two blocks, and if you think that disproves my point, you didn’t watch the game or understand what you saw.

The amount of easy baskets Vucevic surrendered, and the way he made every Heat player feel welcomed in the paint doesn’t show up on his line–besides his minus-18 for the evening.

Vooch has an expiring deal and he’s still capable of delivering the emptiest double-double in the NBA every night. Wednesday night was a clear example.

There will be a small market for him. A deal will need to come from a team that is in a similarly dead-end spot looking for small wins before they can hopefully make a bigger step. Sound familiar? I have the perfect and maybe the only potential trade partner for the Bulls. Come on Bulls fans, we all need some hope this morning.

The Trade With the Atlanta Hawks That Just Works Imagn

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Let’s skip the fake shock value and get straight to it. Here’s the proposed deal:

Bulls receive:

Hawks receive:

Jan 23, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) between plays against the Golden State Warriors during the second quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images Imagn Images

It’s clean. Legal under NBA CBA rules. No funny money or imaginary cap gymnastics. And most importantly: both teams get what they need.

Why Chicago Has to Do This

Onyeka Okongwu is exactly the type of frontcourt piece the Bulls haven’t had in years. Athletic, defensively versatile, and still young enough (24) to grow alongside a team desperately needing identity. He can switch, block shots, and catch lobs—three things Vooch has literally never done with any consistency in a Bulls uniform. Okongwu averaged 13.4 points, 8.9 rebounds and just under a block per game in 27.9 minutes per night. Also, Okongwu was a teammate of Lonzo’s little brother and Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball in high school.

Connections matter.

And don’t sleep on Mouhamed Gueye. He’s raw, but he’s 6’10” with shooting touch and mobility. Niang gives you a shooting 4 off the bench—something Chicago hasn’t had since the better days of Nikola Mirotic. Krejčí? He’s filler. But cuttable filler.

Why Atlanta Might Say Yes

The Hawks are also stuck in a mid-tier malaise. Trae Young might be on his way out, and Clint Capela has already aged out of his peak utility. They don’t need to commit long term to two rim-running bigs. Okongwu is good—but he’s going to be expensive. If Atlanta isn’t convinced he’s the guy, this is a smart time to cash in.

Vucevic gives them a floor-spacing 5 who can still score 15–18 points a night and set a solid screen. Jevon Carter helps fill out their backcourt rotation and gives them someone who won’t immediately get cooked defensively when pressed into minutes. The two second-rounders are a nice throw-in and Atlanta knows, at least one of them could blossom into something solid.

This Isn’t a Home Run—but It’s a Clean Double

Vooch isn’t getting you a star. We need to let that dream die like a late-season Bulls playoff push. But a guy like Okongwu? That’s a piece worth developing. That’s a player who could be part of something if Chicago ever truly commits to youth and movement.

It’s also a way to give Bulls fans a little bit of hope—real hope—without spinning the same tired “run it back” PR nonsense that’s defined the last three offseasons.

Bulls brass, do something smart. Start with this.

Chicago Bulls Must Trade Nikola Vucevic in the Offseason, And This is the Perfect Move

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