The Chicago Bulls are at a crossroads - and it’s becoming increasingly clear that the path forward runs straight through the center position.
Nikola Vucevic, who’s been a steady presence in the middle for Chicago, is still putting up respectable numbers in his 15th NBA season. Through the first 19 games, the 35-year-old is averaging 16.4 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 3.6 assists, shooting a sharp 49% from the field, 40% from three, and 81% from the line.
On paper, those are solid contributions. He’s spacing the floor, facilitating offense, and showing flashes of the playmaking that’s made him a two-time All-Star.
But here’s the reality: the Bulls aren’t just trying to tread water. They’re trying to compete. And if that’s the goal, Vucevic - for all his veteran savvy and offensive versatility - isn’t the long-term answer at the five.
This isn’t about one player. It’s about fit.
It’s about the Bulls’ identity - or lack thereof - on the defensive end. Head coach Billy Donovan has tried to patch things together.
Zach Collins is on the way back and could offer some help. Jalen Smith has stepped up in small-ball lineups.
Even rookie Matas Buzelis has been thrown into the mix as a makeshift center. But none of those options are sustainable if Chicago wants to be more than just a fringe Play-In team.
The numbers tell the story loud and clear. Since Nov. 5, the Bulls have allowed 56.5 points in the paint per game - third-worst in the league during that stretch.
That’s not a fluke. They ranked dead last in that category last season, and the trend has continued.
Defensive rating? 25th in the league at 119.2.
Rebounding percentage? 23rd.
Opponent points per game? 28th.
Opponent offensive rebounds? 27th.
This team is getting bullied at the rim, plain and simple.
And it’s not just about rim protection. Vucevic struggles to defend in space, and that’s a problem in today’s NBA, where bigs are increasingly asked to switch, rotate, and recover at a high level.
Donovan’s system demands mobility and chaos - a style built on ball movement, tempo, and defensive disruption. That’s hard to execute when your anchor can’t move the way the modern game demands.
You can see the blueprint the Bulls are trying to follow. There are shades of the Indiana Pacers in this roster - a collection of shooters, passers, and high-motor guys who want to push the pace and share the ball.
But what Indiana has that Chicago doesn’t is a defensive backbone. There’s no Myles Turner in the Windy City.
No Pascal Siakam. No Aaron Nesmith or Andrew Nembhard making life miserable for opposing wings.
The result? A defense that’s leaking points like a sieve.
Before a narrow 103-101 loss to Indiana on Nov. 29, the Bulls had given up 120+ points in 11 straight games - the longest such streak in the NBA in 35 years. That’s not just a red flag.
That’s a full-on alarm.
So what’s next?
A trade. A big one.
The Bulls need to make a move before the deadline - not just to shake things up, but to reconfigure the foundation of this team. Vucevic, for all he’s done, is the most logical piece to move.
He still holds value as a skilled veteran big, but his limitations are holding this team back from taking the next step.
Collins? A temporary fix.
Smith? Undersized for the role.
Buzelis? Talented, but more of a wing than a true big.
None of them are the long-term solution at center.
If Chicago doesn’t address this, they’re staring down another Play-In Tournament exit - or worse. The East is too deep, and the margin for error too thin, to keep rolling with a roster that can’t protect the paint or control the glass.
The Bulls have talent. They have pieces.
But without a defensive anchor in the middle, they’re building on sand. And unless that changes soon, the ceiling for this group will remain frustratingly low.