Proposed NBA Trade Has Warriors Land $60 Million 2-Time All-Star for Wiggins
The Golden State Warriors will look different next season, and the team is hopeful that some of the young players on the roster can help the franchise return to being a contender. With NBA free agency coming to an end, the Warriors may seek to enhance their club through trades.
According to Allen Stiles of Bleacher Report, the Warriors might potentially acquire Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vučević through a trade. Golden State sends Andrew Wiggins to Chicago as part of the planned trade. One caveat: this deal would make a lot more sense if the Bulls could move Zach LaVine. As things stand, Chicago would also need to add a little extra salary to make this deal work under the cap rules.
“You know he [Vučević] can score the basketball,” Stiles said during a July 17, 2024 live stream. “You know he can rebound a basketball. So the Warriors become even bigger. And then the Bulls go to Andrew Wiggins, who may be due for a fresh start.
“It was regarded as a fair deal at the time, following that finals run. So you have three more years on that contract [four-year, $109 million]. … If they are able to get off Zach LaVine, they will lose a choice, as previously reported. Okay, we need someone. I would describe Andrew Wiggins as a multiverse version of Zach LaVine.” 
Bulls Two-Time All-Star Nikola Vučević is a potential replacement for Jazz big man Lauri Markkanen in the Warriors trade.
For the Warriors, this would be a less expensive option than trading for Utah Jazz center Lauri Markkanen. Vučević may not have the same upside as Markkanen, but the center is less expensive in two important areas.
Specifically, Golden State would not have to give up the haul that Utah is seeking for Markkanen. The Jazz star is also poised for a lucrative contract deal.
Vučević has two seasons left on his three-year, $60 million contract, with a $20 million cap charge in 2024-25. The veteran is a two-time All-Star who excels in the low position. Vučević averaged 18 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 76 games last season.
The Warriors are expected to explore trades for Andrew Wiggins: Insider.
This would also be a cost-cutting move for the Warriors, as Wiggins has three seasons left on his four-year, $109 million contract. Wiggins faces a $26.2 million cap cost next season, but he still has plenty left in the tank at 29 years old.
The former No. 1 choice may require a fresh start. Golden State did not enable Wiggins to compete for Canada at the 2024 Olympics. Logan Murdock of The Ringer said that the Warriors are expected to look into trades for Wiggins this offseason. “League sources believe Andrew Wiggins will be included in trade talks this summer as the Warriors look to improve their roster,” Murdock reported on April 17, with the headline, “What Will Become of the Golden State Warriors?” “During Golden State’s 2022 championship run, Wiggins was perhaps the team’s second-best player, averaging 16.5 points and 7.5 boards in the playoffs and producing timely shots and strong defense in the Finals.
“The Warriors inked him to a four-year, $109 million agreement last fall, but His tenure in Golden State has been frustrating since the ink was dry.
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