Nikola Vucevic Sets Center Market For Jakob Poeltl With New Bulls Extension

The Chicago Bulls have signed Nikola Vucevic to a three-year extension as the center market takes shape for Toronto Raptors big Jakob Poeltl

Aaron Rose | Jun 28, 2023

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Nikola Vucevic has now set the benchmark for NBA centers heading into free agency this weekend.

The 32-year-old has reportedly signed a three-year, $60 million extension to return to the Chicago Bulls, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania. The deal comes in at the same number many had predicted Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl will sign for as he heads into free agency this summer.

Vucevic averaged 17.6 points and 11 rebounds per game last season while shooting 34.9% from behind the arc. He helped lead the Bulls to a play-in berth, but his lackluster defense hampered Chicago throughout the year.

While Poeltl, 27, didn’t put up the same kind of numbers, averaging just 12.5 points and 9.1 rebounds per game, and has never developed into a shooter, his defensive game is considerably better than Vucevic’s. He’s also five years younger than Vucevic.

Poeltl is expected to re-sign in Toronto this summer, though the San Antonio Spurs are reportedly interested in bringing back the 7-foot-1 Austrian who they traded at the trade deadline, per Michael Grange of Sportsnet. It’s possible Poeltl’s market eclipses the $20 million annually figure, though it will be difficult for the Raptors to re-sign Poeltl and Fred VanVleet while remaining under the luxury tax threshold without making a cost-saving trade elsewhere on the roster.

Free agency begins Friday night at 6 p.m. ET.

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