NBA rumors: Warriors expected to wait on potential Nikola Vucevic trade
Yesterday at 12:44 PM
The Golden State Warriors have fallen back down to Earth after a hot start to the season and now everyone is talking about how the Warriors can get back in contention. The consensus seems to be that that would need to happen in a trade for another star player or another great scorer before the deadline.
Specifically, the Warriors have been linked to a number of centers that could give them some more versatility on the interior. One of those proposed options is Chicago Bulls big man Nikola Vucevic, who would give the Warriors some much-needed scoring punch and floor spacing.
Despite the perceived seamless fit of Vucevic in Golden State, the Warriors are not in any rush to make a deal and could end up waiting until closer to the trade deadline to pull the trigger, according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.
“But both Western Conference executives expect the Warriors to wait and see what the market will be on a player such as Chicago Bulls big man Nikola Vucevic as the Feb. 6 deadline nears,” Youngmisuk wrote. “Vucevic would give Curry a much-needed scorer. The ideal situation for the Warriors would be expiring contracts for Vucevic, who makes $20 million this season.
“The Western Conference executives also noted that if the Warriors slide even further in the standings, they could make a move to cut their luxury tax bill.”
Are the Warriors good enough to justify being deadline buyers?
Early in the season, the Warriors looked like they had what it takes to be a contender in the Western Conference this season. However, they are now scrapping for wins night in and night out just to stay in the play-in picture.
That dichotomy between the ceiling and the floor of this Warriors team makes them a very difficult evaluation as the trade deadline approaches. The ceiling of this team would absolutely convince a front office to go make a deal to improve and make a push towards the top of the standings, but the floor that they have shown may indicate that this roster is closer to a rebuild than a title.
A player like Vucevic, who the Warriors could likely get for cheap, expiring contracts and would be a great fit, seems like a feasible option to try and improve enough to sneak into the playoffs and make a push in a series. Another option would be someone like Walker Kessler of the Utah Jazz who would instantly make this a very good defensive team.
The Warriors should still try to improve the roster while they still have Curry on the team and playing well, but they shouldn’t overstep and try to sacrifice the future of the franchise for a run this season. The level of play that this team has consistently shown doesn’t justify that. However, maybe a smaller move or even an addition like Vucevic will be enough to make the Warriors a dangerous playoff floater.
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