The Chicago Bulls made a pretty big trade recently as they sent Lonzo Ball to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Isaac Okoro. Ball was a key member of the Bulls’ core before his rare knee injury, and while he was able to return to the court this past season, he wasn’t the same player. Still, Ball is a solid role player, and the fan base has been wanting trades to go down. The only issue is that they were not happy with what the Bulls got in return. So, if the Bulls decide to trade Nikola Vucevic, they need to make sure to get a better deal.
Bulls fans were unhappy with the Lonzo Ball trade because of what the team turned down earlier in the year. There were credible reports that the Bulls turned down an Isaac Okoro-like player AND a first-round pick before the 2025 NBA trade deadline. So, when the Bulls traded Ball for just Okoro, the fan base was pretty upset.
In the last two offseasons, the Bulls have traded Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Alex Caruso and Lonzo Ball, and they have acquired zero first-round draft picks in those trades. Fans in Chicago are 100% board with trading these players despite their talent, but the team needs to make the right decisions and get what they are worth. With what the Bulls are trying to build and what their plan is for the future, making those trades with no first-round picks involved doesn’t make a lot of sense.
The Bulls are expected to make more trades this offseason, and the player that is most likely to be traded is Nikola Vucevic. Vucevic is a good player, but he is getting older, and he doesn’t fit into what this Bulls team is trying to build. He is expected to be traded at some point this offseason, and the Bulls need to make sure that they don’t make the same mistakes that they have made in the past. That doesn’t mean that they need to get a first-round pick if they trade him, but if they don’t, it needs to be worth it.
One team that has been mentioned as a potential landing spot for Nikola Vucevic is the Detroit Pistons. Vucevic could end up being a good veteran presence on a young Pistons team, but what do the Bulls need to get to make it worth it?
What the Bulls need for Nikola Vucevic
If the Bulls do decide to trade Nikola Vucevic to the Pistons, there is a scenario where the trade would make sense for Chicago without landing a first-round pick. That would be if Detroit wants to send Isaiah Stewart to Chicago. Stewart played a big role on last year’s Pistons team, and there is a good chance that Detroit wins its series against the New York Knicks if he doesn’t get injured in Game 1.
Isaiah Stewart certainly fits the mold for the Bulls more than Vucevic does now because of his age. Stewart should be a really good player in the NBA for 10+ years, and those are the kinds of players that the Bulls need. At the same time, Vucevic could be a great short term option for the Pistons as they look to add experience to help them get over the hump in the playoffs.
Outside of this straight exchange move, there isn’t a lot that makes sense for the Bulls to get from the Pistons in exchange for Nikola Vucevic. Unless a first-round pick is included, of course. A straight exchange for Stewart would work, but it would be nice for the Bulls to finally secure some picks after trading their star players away.
A Nikola Vucevic trade is likely coming, and it will be a big one for the Bulls. They need to get a good return.
