The Golden State Warriors’ offseason addition of ex-Boston Celtics center and 2024 NBA champion Al Horford introduced yet another high-IQ veteran presence to the team’s experienced rotation.
Golden State’s 4-time NBA champion Stephen Curry, 6-time All-Star Jimmy Butler and 2017 Defensive Player of the Year Draymond Green were supplied with a fantastic play-maker and consistent three-point shooter at the center position, but recent reports have indicated that the franchise’s general manager Mike Dunleavy might aim to swing a deal for a player with similar qualities.
According to Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey, Golden State could make it their mission to acquire an accomplished 6-foot-10 offensive threat and 2-time All-Star big man from the Chicago Bulls by dealing 23-year-old high-flying wing Jonathan Kuminga in the process.
“The Golden State Warriors may have added Al Horford this offseason, but they’re still one of the smallest teams in the league,” Bailey wrote Thursday.
“And the Chicago Bulls have a veteran center who could supercharge their second unit.”
“Nikola Vučević is a floor-spacer and ball-mover whose offensive game would fit right into the Warriors system. And sharing the floor with players like Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green or Gary Payton II could go a long way toward hiding his defensive flaws.”
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Making a mid-season move to bring in a versatile force like Vučević would make perfect sense for Golden State in an effort to bolster their dynamic offense.
In 73 appearances for the Bulls this past season, the 34-year-old scoring center averaged 18.5 points, 10.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists while knocking down 40.2% of his 4.4 attempts from three-point range and accruing a 61.1% true shooting percentage.
Vučević’s 2024-25 campaign with Chicago was a resurgent one, and his incredibly efficient year did plenty to increase his stock on the trade market. While a deal for the Swiss center has yet to materialize, there are certainly plenty of contending teams that can make use of his skillset.
The former No. 16 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft is also an underrated passer, making a potential connection with Curry and Butler all the more tempting for Golden State’s front office.
Golden State would likely be forced to relinquish key pieces such as Moses Moody or Buddy Hield to get a deal across the finish line, but the sacrifice could be worthwhile, especially if Vučević’s efficiency figures carry over into the 2025-26 season.
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