After the pacific rival Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers took advantage of the buyout market with the acquisitions of Marcus Smart and Bradley Beal respectively, there has been some speculation on whether the Golden State Warriors could find a similar means as they look to round out their roster in free agency.
Previously long-rumored trade target Nikola Vucevic was doing the rounds on social media as the next big-name to potentially get a buyout, only for NBA insider Marc Stein to emphatically shut down that idea at least in over the remainder of the offseason.
Perhaps the 2x All-Star could still be bought out mid-season if the Chicago Bulls can’t find a trade between now and Febraury’s deadline, yet by that point the Warriors may have pulled themselves out of being able to sign Vucevic or any other notable player that suddenly becomes available.
Jonathan Kuminga’s deal may limit Warriors as a buyout market team
One of the under the radar elements of the new CBA is the fact teams above the first tax apron cannot sign players in the buyout market if their previous salary had been in excess of the mid-level exception.
If the Warriors bring back Jonathan Kuminga on something near the two-year, $40 million deal that has reportedly been offered according to Stein on Monday, they’ll almost assuredly operate as a team between the first and second aprons.
They’re only $25 million from the first apron right now with nine contracted players, so deals for Kuminga (or players they bring back in a sign-and-trade), Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton and a couple others will nestle them between both.
That would therefore take them out of the running for Vucevic if he was bought out mid-season, with the 34-year-old set to make $21.5 million on the final year of his contract. Such rules don’t apply during the offseason though if Vucevic was to be bought out in the next two months, but the chance of that occurring is extremely remote based on Stein’s latest reporting.
“Given the increasing reliance on NBA big men over the past few seasons, Chicago would be wise at this point to wait and see what sort of interest develops. Especially with Vučević on a $21.5 million expiring contract that ranks as reasonable for someone out there to absorb,” Stein wrote.
Vucevic would be a dream buyout candidate for Golden State after being so strongly linked to a trade for him last season. The veteran center wound up averaging 18.5 points, 10.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 2024-25, shooting 53% from the floor and 40.2% from 3-point range.
That won’t be happening though if Kuminga eventually re-signs in free agency, something that the Warriors will be acutely aware of as they and every other team navigate the roster-building restrictions that the new CBA throws at them.