The 2021-22 NBA season is on the horizon as media days and training camps are approaching on the calendar.
Before the season begins, it’s only right to kick off a new NBA campaign with player rankings, which ESPN has put together with their NBArank.
On Wednesday, players 50-26 were released, including Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic at No. 39, three spots lower from last year’s ESPN’s NBArank. Vucevic was also ranked No. 39 in Sports Illustrated’s top 100 rankings.
Nick Friedell of ESPN elaborates on Vucevic’s ranking:
“Can Vucevic help lead Chicago back to the playoffs? The Bulls swung big when they landed Vucevic from Orlando before last year’s deadline but the deal didn’t pay the playoff dividends the organization was seeking. With LaVine, DeRozan and Lonzo Ball all in the fold alongside him, Vucevic should have plenty of space to continue racking up numbers, but he must show a little more development on the defensive end to help this group the most.”
Last season with the Magic and Bulls, Vucevic averaged 23.4 points, 11.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game.
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