After the Chicago Bulls completed their first practice of the season, Nikola Vucevic strongly clapped back at his critics while speaking to NBA reporters.
“The anger, so to speak, or blame directed at me has really only been on social media,’’ Vucevic said on Tuesday when discussing the underachieving Bulls the last few seasons. “Like never in the city, the arena, in person have I ever felt that. Actually the opposite. All the negativity I’ve seen has been on Twitter … well X now. And honestly, for me I can understand it because people expect what I was doing in Orlando. But I don’t have that same role, I’m not utilized the same way, don’t have the same amount of touches or the touches where I was getting previously.
“Out of the three of us (Vucevic, DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine) I’m the one that has sacrificed the most from an individual game. That’s why I feel like the people that have been critical of me really don’t understand how basketball works, what it takes for us to function as a group.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Nikola Vucevic, Chicago Bulls Updates
Vucevic signed a three-year, $60 million contract extension with the Bulls on June 28. He averaged 17.6 points, 11.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists last season while shooting 52.0% from the field, 34.9% from beyond the arc and 83.5% from the free-throw line. Vucevic was third in the NBA in double-doubles (51).
Vucevic is averaging 18.2 points and 11.1 rebounds since coming to the Bulls. He has a strong relationship with Chicago executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas, league sources told NBA Analysis Network, which is why the Bulls re-signed Vucevic before free agency started.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Nikola Vucevic, Chicago Bulls Updates
“I just felt like there was a lot of work undone,’’ Vucevic said. “Chicago traded for me. They brought me here. They gave up a lot for me. And so I felt a responsibility to come back and help the team do better than we did.’’
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