Yet All-Star, Nikola Vucevic seems like the perfect scapegoat for Bulls fans. Since he arrived, the Montenegrin has been the player most targeted by critics because he does not have the same performance as in Orlando. At the Magic, he was the first option on offense, but at the Bulls, he has to settle for the crumbs left by the LaVine-DeRozan duo.
“This team wouldn’t work if I tried to play like in Orlando” he replies to the Chicago Sun-Times. “I can’t help it if people don’t see it. We have two great scorers [DeMar DeRozan et Zach LaVine], and it is therefore for me to adapt my game according to them. One of my greatest qualities is adjusting my game while remaining effective in other ways. In this attack, I’m not able to do some things that I’m better at, but it’s for the good of the team. That is what matters. »
“It is not certain that the Bulls would have chosen Wagner”
In passing, Vucevic recalls that the critics are mainly on social networks, but that in the room, he is always supported by the public of the United Center. He knows how to balance things between the two.
“Fans often get caught up in the moment. Frankly, since I’ve been [avec les Bulls], even when things weren’t going well for me personally, I mostly felt the support from the Bulls fans. Now social media is something else. People on social networks write whatever they want. »
For the most virulent, the Magic came out the winner of this deal since they had recovered Wendell Carter Jr, and two first rounds of Draft (2021 and 2023). In 2021, they had chosen Franz Wagner, one of the best players in his vintage.
“I know some people want to go back on my trade, for the picks that were included… But it happened… And if it hadn’t happened, it’s not certain that the Bulls would have chosen Wagner. Who knows what would have happened? »
| Nikola Vucevic | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Crew | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2011-12 | PHL | 51 | 16 | 45.0 | 37.5 | 52.9 | 1.7 | 3.1 | 4.8 | 0.6 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 5.6 |
| 2012-13 | ENT | 77 | 33 | 51.9 | 0.0 | 68.3 | 3.6 | 8.4 | 11.9 | 1.9 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 13.1 |
| 2013-14 | ENT | 57 | 32 | 50.7 | 0.0 | 76.6 | 3.3 | 7.7 | 11.0 | 1.8 | 3.0 | 1.1 | 2.0 | 0.8 | 14.2 |
| 2014-15 | ENT | 74 | 34 | 52.3 | 33.3 | 75.2 | 3.2 | 7.7 | 11.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 0.7 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 19.3 |
| 2015-16 | ENT | 65 | 31 | 51.0 | 22.2 | 75.3 | 2.7 | 6.2 | 8.9 | 2.8 | 2.7 | 0.8 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 18.2 |
| 2016-17 | ENT | 75 | 29 | 46.8 | 30.7 | 66.9 | 2.4 | 8.0 | 10.4 | 2.8 | 2.4 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 14.6 |
| 2017-18 | ENT | 57 | 30 | 47.5 | 31.4 | 81.9 | 1.8 | 7.4 | 9.2 | 3.4 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 16.5 |
| 2018-19 | ENT | 80 | 31 | 51.8 | 36.4 | 78.9 | 2.8 | 9.2 | 12.0 | 3.8 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 20.8 |
| 2019-20 | ENT | 62 | 32 | 47.7 | 33.9 | 78.4 | 2.3 | 8.6 | 10.9 | 3.6 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 19.6 |
| 2020-21 * | All Teams | 70 | 34 | 47.7 | 40.0 | 84.0 | 2.1 | 9.6 | 11.7 | 3.8 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 1.8 | 0.7 | 23.4 |
| 2020-21 * | ENT | 44 | 34 | 48.0 | 40.6 | 82.7 | 2.0 | 9.8 | 11.8 | 3.8 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 24.6 |
| 2020-21 * | CHI | 26 | 33 | 47.1 | 38.8 | 87.0 | 2.3 | 9.3 | 11.5 | 3.9 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 21.5 |
| 2021-22 | CHI | 73 | 33 | 47.3 | 31.4 | 76.0 | 2.0 | 9.1 | 11.0 | 3.2 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 17.6 |
| 2022-23 | CHI | 19 | 32 | 47.5 | 36.0 | 85.7 | 2.5 | 9.0 | 11.5 | 3.2 | 2.1 | 0.3 | 2.2 | 0.8 | 15.5 |
| Total | 758 | 31 | 49.3 | 35.0 | 75.9 | 2.5 | 7.9 | 10.5 | 2.8 | 2.5 | 0.9 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 16.9 | |
