Spurs already have the ideal buyout target before the season even begins

The Chicago Bulls are still trying to build themselves into a good team, I think. It's hard to tell when they trade Alex Caruso for Josh Giddey or trade DeMar DeRozan for Chris Duarte and a couple of second-rounders. The latest rumors indicate their next bright idea involves buying out Nikola Vucevic's final contract year at $21 million.

If they do that, and the 34-year-old Switzerland-born center clears waivers (he will), the Spurs should consider bringing him to Alamo City. The Bulls have reportedly tried to trade Vucevic several times, but he doesn't have a strong trade market. That's understandable considering he's never actually swung winning at a starter, and his price tag makes it hard to put him on the bench.

Being bought out changes all of that. He's made nearly $200 million in his career, so an almost 35-year-old who was just paid a lump sum of money wouldn't have a reason to demand a fat contract. If San Antonio could convince him to come off the bench at an affordable price, he'd add immense value to the Silver and Black's ability to be versatile in their lineups.

Vucevic can still get buckets

The former Orlando Magic big man has always been able to put the ball in the basket. It's his specialty, while his defense leaves much to be desired. His negative rating as a defender is the exact reason why he should come off the bench now.

He averaged 18 points per game last season and shot 40% from three. But his outside shot is inconsistent from year to year. He was a below league-average outside shooter in the previous three seasons, but he was blistering from deep range the three years prior to the dip.

So, you never quite know what you're going to get from him in that area until the season starts, but regardless of his outside shooting numbers, he finds ways to put points on the board. Speaking of boards, Vucevic has been a double-digit rebounder for his entire career.

As excited as fans are, and should be, for the additions of Luke Kornet and Kelly Olynyk, neither big is known for crashing the boards. Kornet averaged five boards per game last season, and Olynyk finished the year at almost the exact same number.

Vucevic would help the Spurs finish off defensive possessions with his rebounding, and playing against other bench units should help him avoid getting picked on as much by elite offensive players.

This isn't to say that Kornet or Olynyk should go in favor of Vuc. He's the eldest of the trio. Someone else on the roster would need to be shipped out to make room for him, though. I'll let Brian Wright and Mitch Johnson figure that part out, though. The speculation surrounding this story suggests that if the Bulls buy out their $20 million man, they'll do it closer to the trade deadline.

That would give San Antonio plenty of time to see what's working and what's not. They'll need to clear space eventually anyway. If they can trade guys out for assets and add Vucevic on a cheap deal, that would be a steal. It would also give the Spurs the undisputed best frontcourt in the NBA.