The Chicago Bulls have Nikola Vucevic signed for the next two years on a three-year, $60 million deal. However, they risk losing backup Andre Drummond in free agency, after almost losing him last offseason. To address this potential gap, they might consider drafting a replacement with the 11th overall pick in the 2024 draft or trading up for a higher pick.
Free agency offers another avenue, though they are limited financially.
Another option is acquiring a solution through a trade, and they might already have a target. Clint Capela, one of several Atlanta Hawks players potentially available this offseason, could be on their radar. According to Matt Moore of Action Network, the Grizzlies, Wizards, Pelicans, and Bulls have shown interest in Capela as a trade target.
Capela led the NBA in rebounding during the 2020-21 season and played a crucial role in the Hawks’ run to the Eastern Conference Finals. He is now entering the final year of his two-year, $45.8 million contract.
Capela has struggled with knee issues over the past few seasons, but he has still managed to play in at least 63 games each season since 2019-20. However, his rebounding numbers have declined each year since leading the league.
Bulls Were Average on the Boards in 2023-24
The Bulls ranked 14th in rebounding during the regular season even with Drummond, the self-proclaimed greatest rebounder in NBA history, on the roster. Part of that was an inconsistent role, which could factor into Drummond’s decision this offseason.
Capela might not garner a larger role on the Bulls than Drummond, a four-time rebounding champion.
According to Cleaning The Glass, the Hawks had a net efficiency differential of 0.0 with Capela on the floor, which dropped to minus-3.1 when he was off. In comparison, the Bulls had a net efficiency differential of minus-0.7 with Drummond on the floor and minus-2.5 when he was not playing during the 2023-24 season.
The Bulls could still struggle on the glass even if they swung a trade for Capela. They ranked 14th and 30th in rebounding among forwards and guards, respectively.
Bulls Would Pay Premium Price if They Trade for Another Center
Capela also carries a $22.3 million cap hit in 2024-25. That is a lofty price tag for a role that could be 17 minutes per game. That is what Drummond posted.
Vucevic has been healthy, appearing in no fewer than 70 games in each of the last four seasons.
Playing the two of them together is an ominous proposition after similar concepts yielded poor results for the Bulls. Capela can hold his own on switches when he is healthy, and his 1.2 blocks per game last season are more rim protection than Vucevic offers.
Nevertheless, if the Bulls were to have both starters on their roster, they would possess the league’s seventh-most costly pivot group, as per Spotrac. This would exceed the Hawks in that category.
That is a big commitment to make with so many other question marks on the team.
