The Chicago Bulls snapped a two-game skid on Friday night, picking up a 104-91 win over the bottom-feeding Charlotte Hornets. Coby White was the star of the show, and 21-year-old Dalen Terry earned the first start of his NBA career, but the highlight of the game was the returns of Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic after extended injury absences.
Both players came off the bench, and after the game, LaVine spoke about his return. He had been out since November 28. As for Vucevic, he missed five games in a row dating back to December 26 before coming back to action on Friday night.
He also spoke about his return from injury after the contest, discussing how he felt and what it was like to get back out on the court.
“I think it was just the first game kind of figuring out my minutes and stuff, but since everything went fine I think going forward it shouldn’t be an issue,” Vucevic said via ESPN.
Vucevic played 24:55 off the bench for the Bulls, giving them solid minutes in the win. He ended the night with 11 points, seven rebounds, and three assists while shooting 5-of-12 from the floor and 1-of-5 from behind the three-point line.
He played well, but he could also be a potential trade chip this season.
The Bulls signed the veteran big man to a three-year contract extension this summer, but despite their recent success, they still seem to be headed toward another rebuild at the deadline this year. Or, at the very least, a rebuild next offseason.
Considering he just re-signed, it seems relatively unlikely that the Bulls move him at the deadline this year, but he’ll certainly be a name to watch.
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