Rumored Bulls move could gift Luka Doncic's Lakers the player Mavericks should fear

Ever since the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers on February 1, they have been all in on running double-big lineups and having one of the strongest frontcourts in the NBA. As things stand now, Dallas still has one of the best frontcourts in the NBA, but the Lakers could be in prime position to add another big to their locker room if the Chicago Bulls end up releasing Nikola Vucevic.

According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, the trade market for Vucevic isn't buzzing right now, and the Bulls could be in the market to buy him out at some point during the regular season.

"There hasn't been much of a market for Nikola Vucevic all along," Fischer said on a Bleacher Report Insider Notebook live stream. "I think that this juncture, we're probably more likely to see a Nikola Vucevic buyout mid-season than we are to see a trade."

Nikola Vucevic joining the Lakers would devastate Mavericks fans

Vucevic is in the final year of a three-year, $60 million deal with the Bulls, and if his trade market continues to be flat, Doncic and the Lakers are going to be in the perfect position to fly in if the Bulls end up buying out his contract to allow him to sign with a contender. Even though the Lakers' frontcourt is bound to get better with the addition of Deandre Ayton, they still need more center help, and Vucevic would bring all of that and more.

As things stand now, the Lakers' bigs will be Ayton, Jaxson Hayes, and Maxi Kleber, and although Hayes has had some great moments and Kleber provides good versatility and defense, they both have their weaknesses. Hayes is fairly one-dimensional, while Kleber has serious problems staying healthy, and Vucevic would give the Lakers the depth they need to better compete with the stout frontcourts in the West.

And Mavericks fans would hate every second of that.

While Mavericks fans still have love for Doncic and everything that he gave the city of Dallas, there is still some genuine hatred for the Lakers. With Kyrie Irving healthy, the Mavericks have a much better roster than Los Angeles, but if the Lakers landed Vucevic, they would inch much closer to the Mavericks than fans would be comfortable with.

There is some uncertainty surrounding the Mavericks, and how deadly they can actually be next season for the first half of the season without Irving, and the same can be said about the Lakers. Los Angeles got smoked in the playoffs last season by the Minnesota Timberwolves, as Minnesota's size was too much for them, and Vucevic could help the Lakers snag a higher seed than Dallas again next season.

Last season for the Bulls, Vucevic averaged 18.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game while shooting 53.0 percent from the field and a career-high 40.2 percent from downtown. He is the type of floor-stretching big who would thrive next to Doncic due to his unreal on-ball gravity, and this could end up being one of the best buyout markets of the season if the Bulls punt on Vucevic and the Lakers sign him.

With Vucevic, they would be adding a versatile offensive-minded big man who can score at all three levels, rebound at an elite rate, and take care of the rock. He is one of the better passing centers in the NBA, and his IQ and vision would form a deadly trio when he shares the court with Doncic and LeBron James.

If the Bulls were to get rid of Vucevic, it would be a shock to no one if the Lakers went after him, considering their current depth down low as well as his relationship with Doncic. Vucevic and Doncic always seem to be chopping it up when they face off against each other, and Doncic would likely be thrilled to welcome Vucevic to Tinseltown.

Recently, Doncic helped recruit Marcus Smart to the Lakers, and it wouldn't be shocking if he did the same thing for Vucevic at some point during this next season if the Bulls give up on him. Both players have some Balkan roots, and another big could be the Lakers' key to becoming a true contender.

Mavericks fans would be crushed if the Lakers could pull off this move, as they have wanted Vucevic in the past, and it would better equip Los Angeles to handle Dallas in the paint. Even though Vucevic isn't known for his defense, he would be another body to throw at the Mavs' bigs.

All of this hinges on if the rumors about the Bulls buying out Vucevic come true at some point, and NBA fans will be eyeing this situation closely as the regular season kicks off in a few months.