Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic has been in the NBA for 13 years. The soon-to-be 34-year-old has had a solid career in the league so far. However, Vucevic recently made it clear that the end of his NBA career is near. More specifically, Vucevic plans to play in the NBA for four more years.

In an interview with Milun Nesovic of Meridian Sport, the USC graduate said he wants to play two more years in Chicago and then two more years after that.

“I realize that I’ve been in the NBA for 13 years and the end is not far away. I don’t think I’ll play another 13 years, but I have two more years with Chicago and after that I’d like to play two more. I think I can continue at a high level for that long and then we’ll see. At the moment I’m not thinking about it much.”

Vucevic has two years left on his three-year, $60 million contract. It’s unclear if Vucevic plans to re-sign with the Bulls when his contract expires (assuming he’s still with the team by then). Regardless, it’s clear the big man has a lot left in the tank and wants to stick around for a while.

Last season, Vucevic averaged 18 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game.

Chicago Bulls veteran announces retirement plans

Nikola Vucevic appeared in numerous trade rumors

The offseason saw a lot of expected changes for the Bulls. For the past few seasons, they were a middle-of-the-pack team in the Eastern Conference with no real direction. That was supposed to change this summer, and it has. This offseason, the Bulls traded Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Josh Giddey. Additionally, center Andre Drummond returned to the Philadelphia 76ers this summer. By far the Bulls’ biggest move, however, was the departure of star DeMar DeRozan. In a sign-and-trade, DeRozan left Chicago after three seasons to join the Sacramento Kings.

In July, reports suggested that Vucevic would likely be the next Bulls player to go if DeRozan left.

“If DeRozan leaves, there is also a private belief around the league that Chicago may look to trade center Nikola Vucevic and focus more on youth development and roster restructuring, league sources told HoopsHype,” HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reported.

But now, as September approaches, Vucevic is still a member of the Bulls. At this point, it seems unlikely that the team will trade him until the start of next season.

The last word on Nikola Vucevic

Vucevic may be one of the most underrated NBA players of the last decade. At his peak, he was an extremely effective and exciting player, especially during his time with the Orlando Magic. Vucevic is a two-time NBA All-Star and has finished in the top 10 Most Improved Player voting three times in his career. While another All-Star appearance is probably out of the question for Vucevic, he is still a solid big man who can help a contending team.