The Betting Odds On Nikola Vucevic’s Next Team Are Very Eye-Opening
As everyone in the world of sports is well aware, Vegas is always a few steps ahead. Anyone who’s ever placed or followed a sports bet knows there are some suspicious activities around how accurate the oddsmakers can be surrounding sports betting, and the famous phrase “Vegas always wins” seems to prove itself time and time again. The latest wave of intriguing bets made public were the destinations of some of the league’s marquee players and free agents. Sadly for the Chicago Bulls, they are not the betting favorite to land any noteworthy players. They are also not as heavy of a favorite to retain their starting center as previously thought. Where do betting agencies see the Bulls’ big man next season, and how realistic is the prospect that he skips town?
Chasing Title Contention
The most glaring red flag about Nikola Vucevic’s contract negotiations over the latter part of the 2022-23′ campaign was his mention of career accolades. He spoke about having achieved almost everything he desired in his basketball and personal life and that he had only one real goal remaining before he was satisfied with his tenure in the NBA. That one desire? An NBA Championship, more specifically, contending for one and making a deep postseason run. Having only appeared in 16 playoff games, never winning more than one game in a single postseason, and having yet to advance beyond the first round, it’s clear that winning is now at the forefront for the 32-year-old big man.
The issue with Chicago moving on from the former two-time All-Star would be his replacement, which currently does not exist. There’s a grouping of middle-of-the-road centers they can run at or package a deal for DeAndre Ayton or Christian Wood, who have both been made available via trade. While letting Vucevic walk is not as simple as it seems, it might be the best option for a Chicago team that needs to get younger and gain cap space in preparation for a rebuild.
If Not Chicago, Where Does Vucevic Land?
If the former USC center does not extend his stay in Chicago, four of his top five most likely destinations have made it to the NBA Finals in the past five seasons. Leading the way, Boston has a +300 betting odds chance of landing Vucevic. The longest odds in the top five belong to the Los Angeles Clippers, who hold a +600 chance of bringing in the Bulls’ man in the middle. Wedged between those two, the Raptors, Suns, and Warriors have odds ranging from +300 to +500 in the bidding war.
As previously noted, these odds are likely derived from the fact that these franchises are constantly in championship contention as of late and have centers that have either already hit free agency or have requested a departure from their current team. It will come down to whether Vucevic prioritizes his payday or the chance at an NBA title. A more lucrative deal would come from Chicago, while better odds for his first championship would be elsewhere.
For reference, a +300 odds line would be about a seven-point underdog in an NBA game, while a +600 odds line would be closer to a 10-point underdog. While either scenario is unlikely, it’s much less of a certainty that he’s back in the Windy City than many thought heading into this summer. The Bulls are reportedly still working on an extension with Vucevic, but with odds for other teams slowly creeping in, there is speculation about what could transpire in the coming months. Contract talks began for the two sides before the 2022-23′ season, continued near the trade deadline, and have yet to progress this summer. This begs the question of what could change this time around. Barring a dramatic change of heart from either Vucevic’s camp or the Chicago Bulls front office, the 6’10” center may find himself in a new uniform for the 2023-24′ season and beyond.
Do you want to see Vucevic back in black and red or let him walk and supplement his services elsewhere?