NBA: Looking back at the 5 worst trades of the decade so far

Miami Heat Kyle Lowry (Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports)
Miami Heat Kyle Lowry (Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports)
5 of 7
Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports)

3. Nikola Vucevic to the Chicago Bulls

Forget that Wendell Carter is already arguably better than Nikola Vucevic (and being paid barely half his salary). Forget that the 2021 pick the Bulls surrendered as partial payment for Vucevic became Franz Wagner.

The pick Chicago still owes to the Orlando Magic has kept them from embracing the 2023 tank, and a perfect opportunity to be sellers in a buyers’ trade market.

Had Chicago not understandably feared surrendering a fifth-to-fourteenth pick to Orlando this year, they likely would’ve traded DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso for upwards of four combined first-round picks, to say nothing of alluring role players on near-minimum contracts like Goran Dragic and Andre Drummond.