While everyone knows the Chicago Bulls are open for business, few customers have stopped in. The juiciest rumor we have received thus far centered around Zach LaVine and the Denver Nuggets. Looking for some offensive firepower to pair with superstar Nikola Jokic, the Bulls’ two-time All-Star was named a “significant” player of interest for the organization.
Nevertheless, those rumors have died down over the last couple of weeks, and nothing nearly as interesting has come to replace it. Until now!
According to The Athletic’s Anthony Slater, Marcus Thompson II, and Sam Amick, the Bulls may have their first legitimate suitor for Nikola Vucevic!
Nikola Vučević has actually emerged as the more discussed Warriors’ trade target, according to team and league sources. The front office and coaching staff have acknowledged back to training camp this team’s need for a true stretch center, something Curry has never really had
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The price tag also matters. Vučević makes $20 million this season and $21.4 million next season. The Warriors have several small-scale contracts that could get to his number — while sticking below that first apron and not gutting the top-end of their rotation. Gary Payton II is on a $9.1 million expiring. Buddy Hield and Kyle Anderson are at $8.7 million. Kevon Looney is at $8 million flat.
The Athletic shared this news in the same article where they mentioned that Jimmy Butler is unlikely to end up in The Bay. They list a multitude of reasons why Golden State is skeptical about pursuing Butler and, instead, mention how the team wants to target impact players on more palatable contracts.
Nikola Vucevic undoubtedly falls into the category, particularly during a season where he’s averaging 20.4 points and 10.1 rebounds on a career-high 55.8 percent shooting.
Nikola Vucevic to the Warriors?
While it sounds like trade conversations between the two sides have barely begun, The Athletic opts for some pretty strong wording here. They name Vucevic as being the “more discussed” trade target over highly-coveted wing Cameron Johnson. Likewise, they attribute this report to league AND team sources. In other words, this interest in Vucevic is something they have heard directly from the Warriors’ organization as opposed to strictly rival executives.
With that in mind, I have a hard time believing this will be the last time we hear about the Warriors’ interest in the big man. He fits in rather well with their current roster on paper, which is precisely why this isn’t the first time we have made the connection on Bleacher Nation!
Here’s a snippet from our article in December after news broke that Golden State wanted to make a big splash:
If they can’t talk themselves into it, however, what about the mere $21.4 million left on Nikola Vucevic’s contract after this season? The big man may not provide change-of-pace athleticism for Golden State, but he’s still easy to picture working within their system. He’s a great interior playmaker who can spray out to open shooters and find cutters. Likewise, Vucevic’s three-point shot has returned in style! He is shooting 46.8 percent from long range on 4.7 attempts per game.
Would there be concerns about his rim protection? Absolutely. But Draymond Green would be there to help cover up some mistakes. At the end of the day, if it’s another scoring option the Warriors want, they could do a lot worse than Vucevic.
Since publishing that post, Vucevic has maintained his impressive shooting performance from behind the arc. While his percentage has dipped slightly, it still sits at 43.6 percent on 4.6 attempts per game. He currently joins Nikola Jokic, Domantas Sabonis, and Karl-Anthony Towns as the only players in the NBA to average 20+ points and 10+ rebounds while shooting upwards of 40.0 percent from the field!
For a Warriors offense that sits a lackluster 16th in offensive rating, Vucevic feels like one of the few frontcourt players on the market who can make a positive impact on that side of the ball. Not only would his post skills add a new wrinkle to the Warriors’ offense, but his ability to stretch the floor means they wouldn’t have to sacrifice the kind of spacing they need.
So … would the Bulls do business with Golden State? I’m not sure why not! As long as Golden State isn’t trying to have Chicago take back long-term salary, I’d imagine Chicago would listen with the right draft capital involved. For example, using the expiring deals of Gary Payton II, Kevon Looney, and Lindy Waters III would make the finances work. Does Chicago accept that with two or three future second-round picks attached?
What about a deal that includes only one second round or zero draft capital but has 22-year-old Moses Moody in place of Payton? I’m not sure if the Warriors offer that, but it would sure feel worth it for Chicago.
Long story short, there are multiple ways the Bulls and Warriors could get a deal done! Golden State even has more first-round picks than some might expect. To be sure, the current market makes it hard to believe they would offer one up for Vucevic, but who is to say they don’t get desperate sitting 9th in the West?
If one thing is for sure, it’s in the Chicago Bulls’ best interest to get deals done sooner than later. Every win puts them further and further away from keeping their 2025 first-round pick. So if the Warriors are expressing interest, now is the time to entertain that.