The Golden State Warriors made a late push to acquire Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic before the NBA trade deadline, but discussions ultimately stalled.
According to Marc Stein of The Stein Line, the Warriors made one final attempt to trade for Vucevic ahead of Thursday’s 3 p.m. ET deadline. However, league sources indicated that the talks “fizzled” as the teams failed to reach an agreement on trade terms.
Vucevic, 34, is having one of the best statistical seasons of his career. The veteran big man is averaging 19.5 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game while shooting a career-best 54.6% from the field and 39.4% from beyond the arc in 51 appearances. The two-time All-Star is earning $20 million this season and has one more year remaining on his contract, worth $21.4 million for the 2025-26 campaign.
Warriors’ trade deadline efforts end with Jimmy Butler after failed Nikola Vucevic pursuit
The Warriors’ interest in Vucevic stemmed from their need to bolster their frontcourt depth as they aimed to strengthen their roster for the remainder of the season. Sitting at 25-25 and currently 11th in the Western Conference standings, Golden State sought reinforcements to improve its playoff positioning. However, their inability to finalize a deal with Chicago left them without another major move before the deadline.
This attempt to acquire Vucevic came after the Warriors had already made a blockbuster trade on Wednesday night, landing Jimmy Butler in a four-team deal. The trade, first reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania, saw Golden State send Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson, Dennis Schroder, Lindy Waters III, and a 2025 first-round pick (protected) to multiple teams.
As part of the trade, the Warriors sent Wiggins, Anderson, and their first-round pick to the Miami Heat. They also traded Schroder to the Utah Jazz, who then rerouted him to the Detroit Pistons, along with Waters III.
Following the trade, Butler and the Warriors quickly agreed to a two-year, $121 million contract extension. The 35-year-old forward is set to decline his player option for the 2024-25 season in order to sign the new deal, which will keep him under contract through the 2026-27 campaign.
Golden State’s pursuit of Vucevic on Thursday suggests that the team was still searching for additional reinforcements even after landing Butler. However, with no further deals materializing, the Warriors will now move forward with their current roster as they look to climb the standings and secure a playoff spot.
