MIAMI — The clock isn’t on the Bulls’ side. Center Nikola Vucevic and his teammates are aware of that.
The schedule says the Bulls have 55 regular-season games left, but that’s not the timetable the organization necessarily is working on.
The Bulls have 15 games until Jan. 15, when the rest of the players who signed offseason deals will be eligible to be traded, then another 10 after that before the NBA trade deadline Feb. 8.
So a 10-17 record entering their game Monday in Philadelphia is more than just a hole to try to climb out of; it’s a crater.
‘‘That’s true; that’s why there’s not a whole lot of time,’’ Vucevic said. ‘‘We’ve got to start doing this. The last few weeks, yes, it feels like we’re back on track for something positive, but it has to continue. We know we have possibly a limited time, but we’re aware of it. Maybe that awareness is what’s been changing things, too.’’
Maybe, but that’s not the only thing.
To a man, Bulls players and coaches are staying away from stating the obvious when it comes to playing without injured guard Zach LaVine (right foot). In his absence, the Bulls are 5-3 — with two of the losses coming down to final shots — the pace is better and the ball is moving.
LaVine and his representatives let it be known last month that they were all for the Bulls trading him. And while that has been made tougher than anticipated by the max contract LaVine signed in the summer of 2022, the Bulls have been trying to meet those wishes.
But LaVine might not be the only player moved. As badly as the Bulls have underachieved, no one is safe. That’s the premise under which Vucevic and his teammates are operating.
They also know they have sent a message to the front office with their recent improvement. How much weight that will carry in the decision-making process, however, is yet to be seen.
‘‘Yeah, two weeks ago, it didn’t look pretty,’’ Vucevic said. ‘‘We were losing and losing in a bad way, not playing good ball. So, yeah, there’s no doubt the energy is better. We’ve won five of our last eight, but we’re still far behind where we want to be. There’s a lot of work to do.
‘‘That’s a positive step, at least. The one thing about this group is we don’t give up. We’re always looking for ways to try and turn things around, and hopefully we stick on this track and keep working toward that.’’
That shouldn’t be an issue for Vucevic.
Before LaVine’s injury, Vucevic was off to one of his worst starts in years. He was 18th among starting centers in scoring (15.4 points per game), 15th in assists (3.1) and 14th in rebounds (10.1). In the eight games since LaVine’s injury, Vucevic is ninth among starting centers in scoring (19 points per game), sixth in assists (4.4) and seventh in rebounds (11.8).
Just like that, the Bulls have a top center back.
‘‘It’s my rhythm,’’ Vucevic said of his turnaround. ‘‘Before, I think the offense was too stagnant, and it’s not easy to play that way. The defense gets set, there’s not a lot of easy looks [and] the offense slows down. It’s not the style I like playing, not the style a lot of guys like playing.
‘‘The last few weeks, we’ve been playing with more energy, the ball is moving better, getting downhill and creating more for each other. It’s been better for me, easier for me. When guys get downhill and create, I can play off of them. Things open up for everyone.’’
