One of the worst-kept secrets in the NBA is that the Golden State Warriors are in the market for an upgrade at center. Veteran big man Kevon Looney left after 10 years with the team to sign with the New Orleans Pelicans, and the up-and-comers in place have yet to display the desired level of consistency.
One of the players whom the Warriors have been linked to in regard to addressing the developing void has unfortunately become a bit more challenging to acquire than previously anticipated.
Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic is a two-time All-Star whom many expect to move on from the franchise at some point in the near future. He's 34 years of age on a team in the midst of a youth movement, and could prioritize winning in 2025-26 and beyond.
As such, it's easy to understand why so many were intrigued when Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report relayed that Vucevic and the Bulls could come to terms on a buyout in 2025-26.
“We've been talking about how there hasn’t been much of a market for Nikola Vucevic all along, dating back to last trade deadline. I think at this juncture, we’re probably more likely to see a Nikola Vucevic buyout mid-season than we are to see a trade.”
Unfortunately for Warriors fans and executives who would like to see this happen, NBA insider Marc Stein of The Stein Line has pushed back against the idea that there isn't a market for Vucevic.
"I'm NOT buying the notion that there is no market for Vooch."@TheSteinLine believes Bulls center Nikola Vucevic could still be a trade candidate before next season's deadline.
— CHGO Bulls (@CHGO_Bulls) July 28, 2025
Thoughts, Bulls Nation? pic.twitter.com/bVzEXaEfLr
If Stein is proven correct, then the Bulls will likely be able to complete a trade revolving around Vucevic rather than having to buy him out.
Marc Stein believes there's still a trade market for Nikola Vucevic
There's reason to believe teams would be skeptical of trading for Vucevic at this stage of his career. He'll turn 35 in October, has bouts of inconsistency on the defensive end of the floor, and has just 16 games of postseason experience after 14 NBA seasons.
The market for Vucevic during the 2025-26 season, however, may grow stronger due to the other factors that will be taken into consideration.
Vucevic is coming off of a season in which he averaged 18.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.7 blocks, and 1.8 three-point field goals made on .530/.402/.805 shooting. He shot 39.9 percent on catch-and-shoot threes and was No. 11 in the NBA in points via post ups, shooting 54.5 percent in such scenarios.
If Vucevic is able to sustain that success in 2025-26, all the while continuing to excel as a rebounder and passing big, the market should be stronger than it was at the 2025 trade deadline.
The difference a year can make is simple: Vucevic is preparing to enter the final season of his current contract. He has a tradable salary at $21,481,481 that both contenders and teams that are looking to cut costs will likely be eyeing in 2025-26.
That could create a competitive market for the Warriors to enter, making a trade for the offensive specialist all the more difficult to complete.
The acquisition of Vucevic could be complicated even further by the course of action Jonathan Kuminga takes in regard to his current restricted free agency. In the event that he accepts his qualifying offer, he'd be returning to the Warriors on a salary that doesn't align with Vucevic's, thus making a long-speculated swap even more challenging to complete.
There was brief reason to believe the Warriors were closing in on a dream outcome with Vucevic, but Stein raises valid points about the two-time All-Star having a stronger trade market than some might believe.