February may be months away, but it’s never too late to start thinking about the NBA trade deadline! This is especially true for a team like the Chicago Bulls, who are still searching for a sense of direction after moving on from DeMar DeRozan this offseason.
While Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic remain on the roster, all signs have continued to point toward a willingness to trade both. Lucky for Chicago, the veterans have started the season playing excellent basketball, which means it may only be a matter of time before the phone lines start to ring.
Vucevic, in particular, feels like the kind of asset who could find himself on the move sooner rather than later. He has returned to his All-Star form and has the kind of salary that isn’t nearly as complicated to afford. With that in mind, I thought we might as well discuss two teams that could be worth keeping an eye on as the trade market begins to develop.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers belong at the top of this list. For a while now we’ve heard murmurs about the team’s desire to add a big man, and NBA insider Jake Fischer reiterated this in a recent Bleacher Report live stream: “The Lakers’ pursuit of a big man continues to be something NBA personnel talk about when I make my phone calls around the league,” Fischer said on Nov. 21.
The Wizards’ Jonas Valanciunas is a specific name Fischer threw out as a possible target. All things considered, he has some similarities to Nikola Vucevic, which makes the connection this trade fit all the more interesting. Both are traditionally sized bigs who dominate the glass and offer strong interior footwork. They each do some of their best work in the paint but outside the restricted area, nailing turnaround hook shots and mid-range jumpers. Additionally, both are willing passers who help create from the middle of the floor.
With that said, Vucevic is the superior offensive weapon, particularly when we consider his long-range jumper. The veteran big man is shooting 46.3 percent from downtown on 4.4 attempts per game this season. I have to imagine this would be attractive to a Lakers team that shoots the sixth-fewest three-point attempts per game. Would there be defensive concerns? Absolutely, but we can probably say the same thing about Valanciunas, who has a similar lack of athleticism and lateral quickness. Not to mention, All-Defensive Team superstar Anthony Davis is there to clean up the paint!
The real question for LA will likely be how much they are willing to spend. Valanciunas makes only $10.0 million a year compared to Vucevic’s $20.0 million. At the same time, Valanciunas is under contract for three more seasons, while Vucevic will be an expiring contract as soon as next year. I also think it’s worth noting that Chicago would surely charge more for Vucevic right now when we consider how well he’s started the year. Regardless, the team has the salaries to make either deal work.
I would definitely keep an eye on the Lakers during the next couple of months. If they’re interested in Valanciunas, I think there is a high likelihood they also check in on Vucevic. Remember, they’ve thought about it before!
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are back with a vengeance. After many doubted whether the team’s days near the top of the West were over, they’ve started this season 12-4 and second in the conference. Stephen Curry is playing like his MVP self, Draymond Green is playing like his DPOY self, and the team’s supporting cast looks rejuvenated. Nevertheless, the West is arguably the most competitive it’s been in years. The Warriors can’t get too comfortable.
This is why we saw them in trade rumors for big-time names like Lauri Markkanen and Paul George this offseason. Of course, neither deal came to fruition, but it showed the NBA that Golden State is willing to get frisky. So may I recommend a new starting center?
For what it’s worth, Nikola Vucevic could make a lot of sense in The Bay. Whether it be his spacing capabilities or above-average passing chops, envisioning Vucevic’s fit in a Warriors-style offense isn’t difficult. In a lot of ways, the Bulls are currently recreating a poor man’s version of what Golden State likes to do, and Vucevic is having his best season in years!
The rim protection would obviously be a concern, but the Warriors have the infrastructure to combat that. They’re currently the fourth-ranked defense in the NBA, and they would also have second-year forward Trayce Jackson Davis as a more defensive-minded option off the bench (that is … if he isn’t included in the trade!).
Especially when we consider how well the Warriors have started to begin the season, they may think that acquiring someone like George or Markkanen isn’t as necessary. Vucevic could be the perfect mid-size target that allows them to keep some of their young guys while still adding an impact player.
So what do they have to give up? Well, Golden State actually has all their first-round picks moving forward. They also have intriguing youngsters like Jackson-Davis, Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, and Moses Moody. It’s highly unlikely the Bulls can get Kuminga or Podziemski, but might the other two come up in talks?
Nonetheless, a deal would most certainly start with De’Anthony Melton’s expiring $12.8 million salary (he tore his ACL and is out for the year), so it would be about plugging in the right pieces from there. The only problem is that – as well as I think he might fit – Vucevic might not be exactly what the Warriors want. The front office could merely look to replace Melton with another 3-and-D wing, which is why Patrick Williams’ name could also be worth speculating about.