Chicago Bulls trade rumors: Top 3 potential landing spots for Nikola Vucevic

With the NBA trade deadline looming, the Chicago Bulls' trade talks have begun to ramp up. With DeMar DeRozan recently dealing with a quad strain, the team has been fighting for the top spot in the Eastern Conference Standings. Currently, the team finds itself sitting in 10th place in the East, two wins behind the Atlanta Hawks in 9th place.

The Chicago Bulls and their fans have been on an absolute roller coaster ride this season. After an underwhelming start to the season with Lonzo Ball forced to watch from the sidelines, the Bulls have begun to put it all together in recent weeks. The team rattled off three straight wins earlier in the month, defeating the Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, and the Utah Jazz.

This unfortunately was followed by a three-game losing streak that saw the team fall to the Boston Celtics, Washington Wizards, and OKC Thunder. With the new year off to the same underwhelming start for the Bulls, many are eager to see whether a Chicago Bulls trade manifests itself before the trade deadline next month.

Chicago Bulls trade rumors: Three possible landing spots for Nikola Vucevic

When the dynamic duo of Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley took control of the front office in Chicago, the pair made a pretty big move for Nikola Vucevic. The trade brought the two-time All-Star to Chicago in exchange for Wendell Carter Jr, Otto Porter Jr, and two first-round picks.

Nikola Vucevic (Milwaukee Bucks v Chicago Bulls)

Given that the Bulls have been struggling, it's no secret that the team likely wishes they had held on to one, or both, of their top-4 protected picks. Nikola Vucevic's contract expires at the end of the season and he will become an unrestricted free agent. As a result, many are predicting that the Bulls will try to move him before that happens.

If a Chicago Bulls trade for Nikola Vucevic happens, here are three possible landing spots for the veteran big man.

1 - Phoenix Suns

It's no secret that the Phoenix Suns and DeAndre Ayton have been at odds as of late. Ayton stated this offseason that he hadn't spoken to head coach Monty Williams, indicating to many that there was a lot going on behind the scenes. Since then, there has been little movement on the two sides working things out.

With Ayton unhappy in Phoenix, the Bulls could look to trade for Ayton, who has three more years left on his contract.

2 - LA Lakers

The LA Lakers have reportedly been monitoring the situation in Chicago to see whether any of the Bulls' players become available before the trade deadline. Prior to the start of the season, the front office was looking to trade Russell Westbrook. However, given his contract, nothing came to fruition. Despite his recent surge in play, Westbrook has continued to be tied to Lakers trades.

With Westbrook set to become a free agent after this season, the Lakers could look to trade Vucevic for him in hopes of extending the veteran big man.

3 - San Antonio Spurs

Last season, the Bulls were closely linked with the San Antonio Spurs for Jakob Poeltl trade. While a deal never materialized, Arturas Karnisovas stated prior to the NBA draft that the team was looking to address issues with rim protection. Despite that, the team hasn't found an interior defender that they can rely on late-game.

Poeltl without a doubt fills that role. While he is on an expiring contract, the Bulls would likely be willing to spend considerable money re-signing the 27-year-old. Whether or not San Antonio is interested in moving Poeltl, only time will tell.

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