The Golden State Warriors have something to hope for after the trade deadline. They’ve finally landed a third megastar in Jimmy Butler to boost their championship hopes. Landing the disgruntled star ultimately takes a huge burden on the aging bodies of Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. Although it was a major win-now move, it wasn’t exactly a perfect trade deadline for the Warriors, as they failed to address one big need… literally. The Warriors’ biggest mistake at 2025 NBA trade deadline was failing to trade for Nikola Vucevic.

Golden State Warriors and Chicago Bulls fail to construct a deal

While the Warriors finally landed a third star in Butler at the trade deadline, they should’ve kept the momentum going by successfully landing Vucevic. The 6-foot-10 Montenegrin center is averaging 19.5 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per outing while shooting 54.6% from the field overall and 39.4% from beyond the arc. The Warriors could’ve enjoyed his outside shooting, a need that will further intensify once Butler joins the Warriors on the court.

For quite some time, Vucevic had been linked to the Warriors. In fairness, Golden State did make a legitimate attempt to acquire his services. Unfortunately, both parties just couldn’t materialize a proper deal. Moreover, it seems like the  Bulls weren’t impressed with the offer enough to give up the two time NBA All-Star.

With the Bulls signaling a rebuild as early as the offseason, the blockbuster trade that saw them ship away Zach LaVine to the Sacramento Kings certainly looked like Vucevic was next to be moved. Unfortunately, with the Warriors and Bulls failing to come to an agreement, he will be spending the rest of the season in the Windy City.

Golden State Warriors need a veteran stretch five

For the past few games, the Warriors have struggled with their spacing. By now, they should’ve realized that a stretch five like Vucevic would make their life so much easier. However, Golden State has once again failed to make a move at the deadline to address this need. Currently, the Warriors’ best bet to fill that need is rookie Quinten Post. But as a rookie, that’s too big of a responsibility for the 24-year-old to shoulder.

Post is a 7-foot power forward who was taken in the second round with the 52nd overall pick at the 2024 NBA Draft. He is averaging 7.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per outing while shooting 44.2% from the field and 36.2% from beyond the arc. Thanks to his potential, the Warriors converted his two-way deal into a standard NBA contract. While Post has shown some flashes that he can get the job done, it’s hard to imagine him doing it on a consistent basis, and more so when the playoffs arrive.

Aside from Post, the team’s next bet is Green. Green’s versatility has been instrumental in the Warriors’ dynasty. However, his lack of size at the five hurts the team defensively. But more importantly, while he can shoot the perimeter ball from time to time, the four time NBA champion doesn’t command enough respect from defenders to cover him from that region. He’s simply not a knockdown shooter compared to a legitimate stretch big man like Vucevic.

Other Warriors big men include Kevon Looney, Trayce Jackson-Davis, and Jonathan Kuminga. Although these big men have proven themselves to be a part of Kerr’s rotation, none of them are outside shooting threats, as they do most of their damage around the rim. As early as the start of the season, the team actually tried to convert Kuminga into a perimeter threat. This year, he has shot the 3-ball at a 34.5% clip. But with his injury, the team needed to look for other options, and Vucevic should’ve been the perfect candidate.

Buyout market options

Following the blockbuster Butler deal, the Warriors have a pair of roster spots available. With several enticing players on the buyout market, the Warriors have a golden opportunity to erase their trade deadline mistake. However, the catch is they only have $1.3 million to accommodate at least one more player.

With the expected buyout market frenzy just around the corner, expect Golden State to be an active participant. While they won’t be able to find a stretch big of the same caliber as Vucevic, the team has some options to sign up a veteran stretch bigs. Some players who are expected to be available include Kelly Olynyk and Chris Boucher.

Olynyk is at the tail end of his career, averaging just 7.1 points per game. However, he’s shooting a career-high 44.2% clip from downtown, which could convince the Warriors to bring him on board. Olynyk is also a tough defender with size that the Warriors can throw against the best big men in the league. On the other hand, Boucher is having a solid season, putting up 10.5 points per outing while shooting a respectable 37.7% clip from the 3-point line. Either option would do wonders for the Warriors, especially at the price point.