All good things must come to an end. That doesn’t mean that you should avoid good things. NBA teams live by the same rules.
The Golden State Warriors have had a good thing for a long time. Soon, it could be coming to an end. The Warriors have been a modern dynasty, but they’re aging. They’re also running low on financial flexibility. At some point, the Warriors’ run is going to come to an end.
If they complained to fans of the Chicago Bulls, their complaints would fall on deaf ears. The Bulls’ current core looks like it’s never going to get off of the ground. This team invested a lot of assets in trying to build a contender, and now, it looks like they’ll have to consider rebuilding before even making a playoff run. Could they send Nikola Vucevic to the Warriors?
The Trade Proposal
Chicago Bulls Receive: G Chris Paul, G/F Moses Moody, 2028 First-Round Pick (Swap – GSW)
Golden State Warriors Receive: G Lonzo Ball, C Nikola Vucevic
With that said, longtime Bulls fans won’t have much of a right to complain either. The Bulls had a good thing for a long time. They were the defining dynasty of the 1990s.
If you’re not familiar with that history, we question why you’re reading this article. You must not follow basketball. Michael Jordan is among the very most iconic athletes of all time. Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman have earned their place in history as well. The Bulls ran the NBA for an entire decade.
They’ve since struggled to recapture that magic. For a while, the Derrick Rose era looked like it would yield success. Unfortunately, a career-altering injury sent Rose off course. Since then, the Bulls haven’t put a serious title contender together. Does this deal get them back on track?
Why The Chicago Bulls Do The Deal
We almost included Jonathan Kuminga in this package. Almost. In the end, we didn’t think the Warriors would flip him for Vucevic. With that said, the Bulls should ask for him first in any negotiations with the Warriors.
They should also be willing to settle for less. Moody may not have Kuminga’s upside, but this is an exciting young player. Moody looks like a jack of all trades. He’s a stout defender who can space the floor and provide some connective passing as well. If the Bulls are rebuilding, they’ll be happy to add a young player of his caliber to their roster.
They should also be happy to add a distant pick swap. Whether the Bulls are retooling around Zach LaVine or rebuilding altogether, the Bulls could use that asset. Should the Warriors surrender those swap rights?
Why The Golden State Warriors Do The Deal
It’s funny. Both of the point guards in this deal are highly regarded players. Neither are especially relevant to this exchange. Ball and Paul are both on expiring contracts – neither would likely have a future with the teams they’re heading to in this deal.
With that said, if Paul and the Warriors are clicking, they’ll pass on this deal. Time will tell whether that’s the case. If the pairing doesn’t look like it’s going to work out, the Warriors will need to use Paul’s lucrative contract to make an offer for an impact player. Vucevic should fit the bill. In fact, he could be perfect on this roster.
After all, the Warriors play a fast-paced, freewheeling style of basketball. The more passing they can put on the floor, the better. Vucevic is an outstanding passer for a big. He’ll also add an element of floor spacing at the 5 that this team doesn’t currently have. All good things may come to an end, but if the Warriors make this deal, they may be able to extend this good thing for a little bit longer.