After failed trade pursuits of both Paul George and Lauri Markkanen, the Golden State Warriors are likely going to enter next season without an established second option next to Steph Curry.
This is a large risk for a team that missed the playoffs entirely last season, especially when considering there is no reason to believe Golden State will be in a realistic position to make a swing at the trade deadline. It is also uncertain what players will be available that time of year, and if management will finally pivot away from their previous unwillingness to deal unproven talent.
While these questions remain, hypothetical trade scenarios for Golden State are being proposed in the media realm, with the latest coming from ClutchPoints’ Senior NBA Reporter Brett Siegel:
Warriors receive: Nikola Vucevic and Torrey Craig
Bulls receive: Moses Moody, Gary Payton II, Kevon Looney
The Chicago Bulls are amid a rebuild, so finding a new home for their two-time NBA All-Star center is likely something they are exploring. That said, Golden State is seemingly not be the right destination.
The Warriors could use center help, but unloading assets for Vucevic at this stage of their timeline makes little sense. In need of a high-level second star next to Curry, a Vucevic addition would not take Golden State from a fringe playoff team to a championship contender, nor would it help them in a post-Curry world.
