The Chicago Bulls had some good news for their fans on Wednesday. Center Nikola Vucevic, who was one of the team’s strongest performers last season, inked a new deal that will keep him with the franchise through the 2025-26 NBA season.
The Bulls haven’t disclosed the financial terms of the deal, but sources close to the franchise say that the extension is worth $60 million.
Vucevic joined the Bulls in a trade from the Orlando Magic midway through the 2020–21 season. The two-time All-Star averaged 17.6 points and 11.0 rebounds on 52.0% shooting while playing all 82 games.
“Since I have arrived in Chicago, everyone in the organization has been incredibly welcoming to my family and me,” Vucevic said in a statement. “I am motivated more than ever to achieve our mutual goals as a team. “
Keeping Vucevic, who was set to become an unrestricted free agent, was considered a priority for the Bulls this offseason. He is an important part of their core, and they did pay a steep price for him, so losing him for nothing would likely sting a lot.
The Bulls will now shift their focus on finding a player to step in the starting point guard role after Lonzo Ball was ruled out for the entire 2023-24 campaign.
