The Chicago Bulls fought vigorously on what turned out to be the final game of the 2024-25 season.
Combined with the Philadelphia 76ers giving their campaign, I saw the Chicago bulls finish in ninth place at the Eastern Conference.
In March, led by Josh Giddy and Coby White, there was a spell in which the Bulls were one of the NBA’s most exciting teams.
The Bulls’ season is over, losing to many experienced and combat-tested Miami Heat teams 109-90 in the Play-In Tournament.
Giddey and White each dropped 25 and 17 points against the heat, leading the Bulls in their lost efforts.
The two indicted Chicago until the end, but Nikola Vsevic had a passive performance.
In postgame coverage on the Chicago Sports Network, the former NBA veteran expressed disappointment.
He felt that Star Big Man had the ball out and helped the Bulls keep the season alive and questioned the game plan.
“There were a lot of missed opportunities there,” Gill said. “I felt that VUC had an edge in terms of size for this Miami Heat team, but that didn’t happen.
“He tried to get a basketball, but unfortunately he couldn’t get as much of it as he could.”
Vucevic pulled 16 points and 12 boards in 38 minutes, which could be his last game wearing a Chicago uniform.
Alongside Lonzoball, the Montenegro center also features DeMarde Rozan, Zach Labine and Alex Caruso as the lonely pieces left behind in the Bulls’ failed core.
In the wake of the final trade deadline for Lavine’s final departure, Vsevic remained interesting in Chicago for the remainder of 2024-25 years. And with the season finally over for the franchise, Gill thinks Vsevic won’t be a bull anymore, especially if the team pinpoints the outlook for the young center this summer.
“The long summer to come. And it depends on where the bull falls in the draft,” Gill began.
“If they draft another young big now, that means they’re probably not here next season because they’re trying to develop themselves.
“Also, Zach Collins did a great job in Vuc’s absence, and he managed Rim-run, Rim-Protect. He can do a lot of the same things that Vuc can do, but he’s just young.
“So there are a lot of questions in the air. The bull has a lot of decisions.”
The looming decision on the Bulls’ ongoing partnership with Vosevic torn between competition and trying to build on what they have in their promising core should be monitored this 2025 offseason.