The Golden State Warriors could achieve some roster balance by acquiring a two-time All-Star center before the trade deadline.
A big man who can stretch the floor would do wonders for Golden State’s spacing, allowing Stephen Curry even more room to operate.
That’s exactly what Chicago Bulls veteran big Nikola Vučević would provide the Warriors if they could trade for the 34-year-old this winter. ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel noted on Friday that a Vučević-to-Golden State deal is possible, although it wouldn’t come at a bargain price for the Warriors.
“League personnel believe Vucevic will be one of the biggest names on the move at the trade deadline,” Siegel said. “The veteran’s $20 million contract and strong offensive start to the season in Chicago make him a valuable asset to a playoff-contending team in need of frontcourt help.”
“Vucevic … is a player the Chicago Bulls will easily move on from if they can add future value. Between his rebounding and three-point shooting, the veteran big man would obviously be a solid offensive fit with Golden State. But his defense has been a primary issue at times in Chicago, and even if Golden State utilized Melton’s contract, it would likely still take either Looney or Gary Payton II to get this deal done.”
Vučević is in the second year of a three-year, $60 million veteran extension.
If the Warriors traded for Vučević, they’d be locked into another $20 million on their books next season. Is Vučević’s offensive production worth the cost, especially as the Warriors want to remain flexible enough to make further moves? Golden State’s GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. will have to make that decision in the coming weeks.
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