Bulls VP makes Nikola Vucevic plans clear: 'Want him to be here'

After standing pat at Thursday's NBA trade deadline, Bulls vice president Arturas Karnisovas voiced confidence in his ability to re-sign center Nikola Vucevic, who will be an unrestricted free agent at season's end. Karnisovas also reiterated his confidence in a team built around DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Vucevic.

"He's having an unbelievable year and we want him to be here," Karnisovas said of Vucevic before Chicago's game against the Brooklyn Nets. "I think for this group, that was important. Now that the trade deadline has passed, this is the group that we're sticking with and they can go out there, play, put their foot on the gas and go on a run."

Chicago acquired Vucevic from the Orlando Magic at the trade deadline in March 2021, Karnisovas' first major roster move as the team's head of basketball operations. The move cost Chicago a hefty price, including Wendell Carter Jr. and a 2021 first-round draft pick that became Franz Wagner. The Bulls still owe the Magic a first-round selection this summer.

Vucevic's shooting percentages were below his career average in 2021-22 as he has acknowledged making adjustments playing alongside LaVine and DeRozan. However, he has returned to form this season. He is averaging 18.0 points and 11.3 rebounds while shooting 52% from the field (36% from 3) and is the only player to start all 54 games for the Bulls this season.

Vucevic is in the final year of a four-year, $100 million deal he signed with the Magic in 2019.

The Bulls (26-28) were in ninth place in the Eastern Conference entering Thursday, but were one of two teams, along with the Cleveland Cavaliers, to not make any roster moves amid a flurry of trades leaguewide ahead of the deadline.

"There were so many buyers, there were a lot of teams that didn't want to take a step back, including us," Karnisovas said. "We tried to improve our team, but at what cost. That price was not OK with us.

"Next stage for us now that we're past the trade deadline is to evaluate this group the next 28 games. Mediocrity and average is not OK with us, but the next step is what's going to happen the rest of the season and then how we can address, during the draft and free agency, the shortcomings."

Karnisovas did not provide an update on guard Lonzo Ball, who has not played this season following arthroscopic knee surgery in September, but said the team would have more information on Ball following the All-Star break. Bulls coach Billy Donovan said recently that Ball was "not close" to doing basketball activities.

The team is expected to explore the buyout market for point guard replacements, but even after an inactive trade deadline, Karnisovas said he still expects the Bulls to make the playoffs.

"There's still wiggle room, there's some parity in the East," he said. "I think the trade deadline shifted some quality more towards West, so there's a chance to compete in the Eastern Conference and there's a lot of teams that are pretty good, but they're just clinched all together. I think there's a chance the next 28 games."