Both are 5-5 in their last 10 games. Both are 10th in their respective conferences. Both are teetering between the present and the future. The two teams referenced above? The Golden State Warriors and Chicago Bulls.
The main difference between the two squads lies in the past. The Warriors were a full-fledged dynasty in the 2010s, while the Bulls struggled to find their footing after Tom Thibodeau's departure in 2015. 10 years later, Golden State has retained two players from its championship teams—Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. As for Chicago, mediocracy has continued to mar the Bulls.
However, the two key cogs from their championship teams, Curry and Green, are now 36 and 34, respectively. The rest of the roster is in a state of disarray. Free agent signings such as Buddy Hield and Kyle Anderson haven't worked out, trading for Dennis Schroder has been lackluster, and the squad's youngsters are either hurt or underperforming.
Subsequently, the Warriors have been active in the trade market. Golden State initiated the second trade of the season, acquiring Schroder in exchange for De'Anthony Melton and three second-round picks. As briefly mentioned, the former Brooklyn Net has struggled to fit in with the Warriors. He's averaged a mere 10.2 points and 4.5 assists while converting 34.6 percent of his field goals and 27.4 percent of his three-pointers in 15 games with Golden State.
Golden State continues to show interest in Nikola Vucevic
The Warriors reportedly aren't content after acquiring Schroder. HoopsHype's Michael Scotto professed Golden State's intention to add a frontcourt player in hopes of competing for another championship with Curry and Green still in tow. Scotto mentioned Nikola Vucevic, John Collins, Jonas Valanciunas, and Robert Williams as the Warriors' targets.
Instead of focusing on wings, such as Jimmy Butler and Cameron Johnson, Golden State has zeroed in on bigs—namely Vucevic, amid an All-Star caliber campaign. The 34-year-old is averaging 20.1 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game. He's also shooting a career-best 42.2 percent from beyond the arc on 4.7 attempts per contest.
The only downside to Vooch is his age and defense, or lack thereof. Fortunately for the Warriors, he's the same age as Green, fitting in seamlessly with the Warriors' timeline. In addition to his age, Vooch's porous defense would be well-disguised on the Warriors. Golden State ranks top-10 in defensive rating and opponents' points per game.
Furthermore, Vucevic's defensive concerns are a tad overblown. He's by no means a plus defender, but he's reliable and big. The 6-foot-10, 260-pound center averages 1.5 "stocks" per game and his opponents shoot almost a percentage point worse when he's the primary defender. A Green-Vucevic frontcourt is more than sufficient enough to hold up defensively.
Unlike Golden State's other targets, Vooch is far better offensively. He's not as athletic as Collins or Williams, but he's an efficient floor-spacer and nifty interior scorer. The 34-year-old big man is swishing 50.0 percent of his mid-range looks and 41.9 percent of his spot-up triples.
Vucevic also provides an element the Warriors lack—post-scoring. The Chicago center averages the second most points per possession among all players to average 2.0 or more post-ups per game. Golden State only rosters three players who average more than 0.5 post-ups per game, and none of the three are efficient with their post touches, all averaging less than a point per possession.
The Warriors need for Vucevic increases the Bulls' trade leverage
Acquiring Vucevic seems like a no-brainer for the Warriors, and the need to add talent is becoming more apparent by the day. Just over a month ago, the league's fourth-oldest team was fourth in the Western Conference. Three weeks until the trade deadline, the Warriors are 10th, immediately behind the streaking Sacramento Kings and 2024 Western Conference Finals representatives, the Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves.
Despite a relatively easy upcoming schedule, the Warriors cannot take any games for granted, especially after losing four of their last six contests. Thus, Golden State is likely getting antsy as the trade deadline nears, increasing Chicago's leverage. After holding onto Vucevic for far too long, the Warriors' recent skid and desire to contend might just pan out in Chicago's favor.
Instead of settling for second-round picks and salary-filler, there's ample opportunity for Chicago to extract a first-round pick from the Warriors in exchange for Vooch. Not too long ago, the idea of swapping the 34-year-old for a first-rounder felt unrealistic. As the Warriors continue to struggle, the idea might come to fruition.