![\"Nikola](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/GettyImages-1836343093-e1756915141481.jpg\")
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPhoto by Michael Reaves\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Nikola Vucevic, Chicago Bulls<\/p>\n
Nikola Vucevic<\/a> has officially retired from international basketball. The Chicago Bulls<\/a>\u2018 veteran big man made the decision following Montenegro\u2019s elimination from the 2025 FIBA EuroBasket tournament.<\/p>\n \u201cIt sucks for me to finish this way; it would have been great to get to the next round and play in Riga, but it is what it is,\u201d Vucevic said, via EuroHoops.net.<\/a> \u201cIn the end, I want to thank everyone, my teammates, the coaches, the federation, and of course, the fans. I will miss playing for the national team; it\u2019s a great honor to play. I wish I could finish it differently; however, now it\u2019s time for the next generation to leave their mark\u201d.<\/p>\n Vucevic will now concentrate on the remaining years of his club career. He has one final season remaining on his current contract with the Bulls. The 35-year-old impressed during the 2024-25 campaign, averaging 18.5 points, 10.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists. shooting 53% from the field and 40.2% from 3-point range.<\/p>\n Regardless of whether he stays with the Bulls for the duration of the 2025-26 season, Vucevic will undoubtedly have at least one more contract left at the NBA level. Even at his advancing age, he\u2019s still a high-level talent at the center position.<\/p>\n Vucevic Open To Extending Stay With Bulls<\/p>\n In a recent interview with BasketNews, Vucevic admitted that he would be open to extending his tenure with the Bulls franchise.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, of course (He would consider re-signing),\u201d\u00a0Vucevic told Basketnews.<\/a>\u00a0\u201cI mean, it has been good for me there. We will see\u2014I have one more year left with them, so we will see what happens if I stay or if something changes. But yeah, obviously, I would love to win in Chicago.\u201d<\/p>\n Chicago is currently deep into a roster rebuild. Therefore, it\u2019s unclear whether the franchise would want Vucevic to stick around long-term. However, if they believe his veteran presence and on-court production could be beneficial to the overall development and direction of the franchise, keeping him around could be seen as a wise investment.<\/p>\n Bulls Unlikely to Buy Out Vucevic<\/p>\n Throughout the summer, Vucevic has been subject to both trade and buyout rumors. His expiring deal makes him a logical trade chip for the Bulls, or an easy way to shed some salary if needs be.<\/p>\n However, an anonymous NBA executive recently told Sean Deveney of Athlon Sports<\/a>\u00a0that Chicago won\u2019t buy out Vucevic\u2019s contract if a trade fails to materialize.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re not looking to buy him out,\u201d The executive said. \u201cIf there is one thing that has been consistent about Jerry Reinsdorf over 40 years\u2013and he is the same with the White Sox (Reinsdorf also owns MLB\u2019s South Side team in Chicago)\u2013it is that he does not pay players or coaches to not play or coach for him.\u201d<\/p>\n Vucevic\u2019s future is anything but certain. Yet, by stepping away from international play, he\u2019s made a decision that could potentially give him some extra time at the highest level. There will be less mileage on his body over the next few years. And if that can lead to another NBA contract, he\u2019s made the right decision.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tAdam Taylor<\/a> is a basketball reporter covering the Boston Celtics and Phoenix Suns for Heavy. He has also written for CelticsBlog, USA Today, Yardbarker and FanSided. Adam has a bachelor\u2019s degree in creative writing from Open University. More about Adam Taylor<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tMore Heavy on Bulls\n\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\tLoading more stories\n\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Photo by Michael Reaves\/Getty Images Nikola Vucevic, Chicago Bulls Nikola Vucevic has officially retired from international basketball. 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