Warriors on “Hunt for a Star,” so let’s have the Bulls talk

Call it wishcasting. Call it bringing it into being. Call it delusion. Call it whatever you want! I will not stop promoting the Golden State Warriors as a trade partner for the Chicago Bulls.

In my opinion, no team in the league makes more sense for one of the Bulls’ top two trade chips. Golden State remains in win-now mode and has a surprisingly robust arsenal. In other words, you have the purpose and means to close a deal sooner rather than later. And ESPN’s Shams Charania reiterated this on Friday that this could be exactly their intention:

“I’m told the Warriors are looking for a star, playmaker or scorer to go alongside Stephen Curry,” Charania said. “Think back to this summer when they pursued Lauri Markkanen with the Utah Jazz and offered Paul George as a free agent to the Clippers. And the debate with the Warriors and teams dealing with this situation is: Are they going to find that externally outside of this roster right now or is it going to be internally with a player like Jonathan Kuminga?”

Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic, come on over!

Why didn’t the Warriors call the Bulls?

I’m sure some will argue that neither LaVine nor Vucevic reach the “star” level the Warriors covet. And I would probably agree with that argument…for now. The truth is that teams can only work with what the market gives them, and there is a very likely possibility that LaVine and Vucevic continue to be among the top names on the market this season.

In other words, these two former All-Stars could look a lot more attractive when the reality of another postseason begins. Time is of the essence for an organization centered around 36-year-old Stephen Curry. And again, it’s not like one of the Bulls’ veterans wouldn’t make sense in The Bay!

Zach LaVine could immediately establish himself as the reliable second scorer the Warriors need. The team has tried to fill the Klay Thompson void with a role-playing sniper like Buddy Hield or an up-and-coming young talent like Brandin Podziemski. Neither believes LaVine’s scoring ability is beneficial, especially considering his ability to create off the dribble.

But even more important is what LaVine can do off the ball! His elite catch-and-shoot jumper and outstanding athleticism would add a new dimension to the Warriors’ offense. For a team that prides itself on constant movement and long-range shooting, it’s easy to imagine LaVine playing within that system, especially now!

Look, I can understand why the Warriors of years past weren’t LaVine fans. His questionable late-game decision-making would have been a concern for one of the league’s smartest teams, as would his poor defensive performance. But LaVine has made progress in both areas.

The version of LaVine we’ve seen this season is a far more versatile and confident player. His usage rate is the second lowest since he arrived in Chicago, but he is still averaging 21.3 points on 50.5 percent shooting from the field and 42.5 percent shooting from downtown. Overall, LaVine is +9.8 this season, which is by far a career high.

Now if you want to get the contractual concerns out of the way, I don’t have a good rebuttal. There’s no denying that the remaining two years of his $95.0 million contract is a steep price to pay. But when did the Warriors become afraid of going deep into the luxury tax? Yes, the new CBA has changed the mindset in the league a lot. This undoubtedly plays a role in how LaVine’s contract is currently viewed. But here too, there is a sense of urgency for the Warriors! LaVine is also at least playing at a level that makes this payday more palatable.

However, if they can’t bring themselves to do so, what about the mere $21.4 million remaining on Nikola Vucevic’s contract after this season? The big man may not be a versatile athletic presence for Golden State, but you can imagine him working in their system. He’s a great interior playmaker who can stretch out to open shooters and find cutters. Likewise, Vucevic’s three-point shot has returned in style! He is shooting 46.8 percent from distance on 4.7 attempts per game.

Would there be any concerns about his rim protection? Absolutely. But Draymond Green would be there to help cover up some mistakes. At the end of the day, if it’s another scoring option, the Warriors could do a lot worse than Vucevic.

Whether it’s LaVine or Vucevic, the Warriors will appreciate the fact that neither should require them to empty their surprisingly robust arsenal. While the price of each individual player has certainly increased, it is still nowhere near what it would be for a player like Markkanen or George. They would likely have multiple picks and/or young players they could use for further roster upgrades.

I know that the fact that the Warriors didn’t show much interest in either player last year doesn’t bode well for a trade. I think the likelihood of that happening is pretty low. However, the NBA is a constantly changing organism. What didn’t seem like a viable path one day might look like a yellow brick road the next. With LaVine and Vucevic playing particularly well, I’m not ruling anything out until after February 6, 2025.