If the Luka Doncic blockbuster wasn’t enough to raise your blood pressure, we have another major trade going down with four days to spare until the NBA trade deadline.
The San Antonio Spurs are acquiring De’Aaron Fox in a three-team trade that will ship Chicago Bulls swingman Zach LaVine to the Sacramento Kings. The Bulls finally begin to rebuild in earnest, while the Kings attempt to stay afloat with [checks notes] the “star duo” Chicago built around in futility for years. Great!
LaVine is back with DeMar DeRozan, the Kings are equipped with a few more draft picks, and Chicago receives its own first-round selection in 2025, free of protections. The Spurs, meanwhile, take the leap from pretender to contender. Oh my!
This is an extremely consequential trade for all parties involved, but it also makes life a great deal harder on the Golden State Warriors. LaVine was an especially appealing target for the Dubs, who have been trying to land an All-Star wing since the summer. With Luka Doncic in LA and several offseason targets either out of reach (Lauri Markkanen) or already dealt (Paul George), Golden State is running out of options.
Stephen Curry and Draymond Green appear content to ride off into the sunset with the current roster, but the Warriors front office can’t let this dynasty die without a bit of effort to maximize these waning years. Here are a few backup plans left on the table for Golden State.
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Golden State has been toying with potential frontcourt upgrades for a while. With the Lakers out of the running for Nikola Vucevic, there isn’t a more obvious landing spot for Chicago’s veteran big man. The merits of trading for a 34-year-old center with defensive limitations is understandably up for debate, but Vucevic is quietly enjoying a renaissance season for the Bulls. He would bring a lot to the Dubs’ stagnant offense.
Vooch is averaging 19.9 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 3.4 assists on .547/.394/.822 splits. He can still stuff the stat sheet. His shooting numbers are falling back to earth after a hot start, but Vucevic’s floor-spacing is something the Warriors don’t currently possess in the frontcourt rotation. The innate compression of Draymond Green and non-shooting bigs has been a frequent point of emphasis when charting potential roster additions in Golden State. Vucevic will unclog the paint and open up driving lanes, all while giving Stephen Curry a dancing partner in two-man actions along the perimeter.
Steve Kerr can really open up his playbook for Vucevic, who poses a threat at all three levels. He can stick spot-up 3s, face up and drive, dime it to cutters at the elbow, or simply sink into a post-up. He’s a favorable matchup most nights due to his unique blend of strength and touch, with a high basketball IQ that Kerr ought to appreciate.
Golden State probably doesn’t become an instant title contender with Vucevic, but he’s more than a consolation prize after missing on Zach LaVine. He’d bring the Warriors new life.
The Indiana Pacers are floating Myles Turner to prospective buyers with free agency on the horizon. He could command $30 million-plus annually on a contract extension, which the Pacers are hesitant to endorse. Golden State has the financially liquidity to absorb Turner short and long term after shedding Klay Thompson’s contract. The fit is obvious.
He’s not quite as dynamic offensively as Vucevic, but Turner is a legitimate volume shooter at the five spot. He’s an easy pick-and-pop partner for Curry, with plenty of utility slipping to the cup and finishing with strength or finesse. He’s not a great passer (1.6 assists to 2.0 turnovers), but Turner is shooting a career-best from distance (40 percent) on career-high volume (5.2). That alone makes him a uniquely valuable weapon on that end of the floor.
More importantly, Turner is six years younger than Vucevic and much better on defense. He is not the shot-blocking titan of a few years ago, but Turner is still a walking dare to opposing guards. He’s averaging 1.9 blocks this season, with the instincts and athleticism to remain All-Defense caliber for years to come. Turner has never had the easiest job as the centerpiece of Indiana’s scheme. Paired with Draymond in the Dubs’ frontcourt, he should find more help on that end of the floor.
Golden State appears to be in pole position for Jimmy Butler. The Phoenix Suns just don’t have an outlet for Bradley Beal’s contract and few teams are more desperate for an immediate, star-level upgrade. Butler comes with his share of red flags, which Curry and Kerr are keenly aware of, but this window won’t stay open forever. The Warriors have a duty to give Steph a fighting chance in the twilight of his career.
The biggest complication, aside from potential locker room peacocking between Butler and Green, is the 34-year-old’s contract. Butler can either opt-in to a $52 million player option next season or test free agency. If he isn’t committed to Golden State full stop, the Warriors might lose him in a few months.
That risk, however, is mitigated by the low cost. The Miami Heat appear content to ship Butler away for pennies on the dollar, so long as the headache ends and the organization can refocus on building a winner around Tyler Herro. If Golden State can get rid of Andrew Wiggins’ bad contract, add Butler, and not completely devastate its draft stores, it’s hard to argue with the move. You need to be a little adventurous to win in this league, and Butler’s penchant for postseason heroics is the stuff of legend.
Butler gives the Warriors another halfcourt creator, which is desperately needed, and he’s still a major defensive plus on the wing. Durability concerns are real, as are the qualms with his personality, but few players have embodied winning more thoroughly in recent years. Butler tends to get the job done better than most when it counts. He’s worth a roll of the dice for a desperate Dubs front office.
