The Brooklyn Nets should trade for Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic, according to Ben Stinar of Fan Nation. Vucevic is averaging 16.3 points and 10.4 rebounds per game this season.
Even though the Nets are 19-12 (fourth in the Eastern Conference going into Monday’s games), they have been having trouble competing with most teams in the NBA on the boards. According to Basketball Reference, Brooklyn is 26th in the league in defensive rebounding % which indicates that the team has a tendency to give up offensive rebounds to the opposing team.
It makes sense why the Nets struggle in the rebounding department. Other than center Nic Claxton, there is not another true big on the team to help on the boards. Vucevic is challenged on the defensive end, but he has always been able to rebound so that could be something for GM Sean Marks to look into as we approach the trading deadline.
Stinar gives his reasoning for why the Nets should go after Vucevic before it’s too late:
“Since the team (Nets) appears on track to reach its potential, they should try to make a trade for Chicago Bulls star Nikola Vucevic. Even if the Bulls turn their season around, there is very clearly a ceiling on how far they could actually go in the NBA Playoffs. Vucevic will be a free agent this summer, so they should try to get something for him now. The Nets rank 28th in the NBA in total rebounds per game (47.9 RPG), so that will be a problem they need to address. In a hypothetical deal, the Nets could give the Bulls a 23-year-old center (Nic Claxton), Joe Harris and a draft pick.”
Brooklyn’s next game is Wednesday as they host the Golden State Warriors.
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