Prior to their eventual blockbuster trade for Jimmy Butler, Nikola Vucevic was arguably the most prominent name linked to the Golden State Warriors in the weeks leading up to the February mid-season deadline.
It appeared as if the Warriors needed to fortify their center position, and Vucevic was perhaps the best and most realistic option within the trade landscape. The 34-year-old started the year on fire for the Chicago Bulls, shooting in excess of 40% from 3-point range while consistently posting double-doubles.
The Bulls only have themselves to blame for failed Nikola Vucevic trade
Even after Golden State traded for Butler the day before the deadline, there were still reports of ongoing talks between both teams surrounding a Vucevic trade. Ultimately nothing came to fruition, leaving the Montenegrin in Chicago despite so much speculation during the weeks prior.
Rather than trade for a starting calibre-center in Vucevic, the Warriors have since gone small with Draymond Green at the five to largely great effect. They ranked first in defense following the deadline, with that and the extraordinary impact of Butler helping them surge up into playoffs and to a Game 1 road victory over the Houston Rockets on Sunday.
As for the Bulls, they showed some promise over the second-half of the season but were eliminated in the 9-10 Play-In game by the Miami Heat. It leaves some fascinating questions for the franchise in the offseason, with Vucevic once again set to become available according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun Times.
"The Bulls once again will look to move Vucevic, making room for Zach Collins as the temporary starter or drafting a young rim protector," Cowley wrote. "Vucevic does have an expiring deal, but, in all likelihood, he could be moved more easily at the February trade deadline."
While the Bulls may be able to move Vucevic at some point over the offseason or prior to the February deadline, it's hard to see them getting much of value particularly after a Play-In game where his defensive limitations were brutally exposed again.
Surely Chicago would have been better taking whatever was on offer from Golden State, likely including veterans Gary Payton and Kevon Looney. That would have given the Bulls two expiring contracts to open up further cap flexibility this summer, but alas they missed that opportunity and now still have to figure out what to do with Vucevic.
It's the sort of overly patient, non-ruthless decision that's had the Bulls stuck in no-man's land for years, and has seen them as a laughing stock of the East who's neither contending as a legitimate playoff threat, nor establishing a full rebuild to eventually reach that point.
Either way it's a good result for the Warriors who have built their turnaround on defense, while the emergence of rookie center Quinten Post has lessened the need for Vucevic regardless.