The Golden State Warriors are making it a little too clear that the team won't be risking the long-term health of the franchise to make win-now trades in the short term. When that was taken as Stephen Curry being okay with playing for an average team, the guard retorted with anger at the insinuation. So which one is it? Do the Warriors want to compete now or not? This might just be a negotiating position, as the Warriors are expected to continue looking for deals until the trade deadline.
ESPN's Chris Herring suggested a pretty wild trade for the Warriors where they part with a first-round pick to acquire Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine. This deal protects prized young assets like Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski while landing the Warriors an elite win-now player who can transform the team's offense.
Trade Details
Golden State Warriors Receive: Zach LaVine ($43.0 million)
Chicago Bulls Receive: Andrew Wiggins ($26.2 million), Gary Payton II ($9.1 million), Kevon Looney ($8.0 million), 2026 First-Round Pick (GSW)
The Warriors don't want to make 'stupid' trades that endanger the team's future, but this might help them solidify their status as a Playoff team for the next few seasons with Curry and Draymond. It could also be the building block of a future move this season or in the summer which helps Golden State be legitimate contenders going forward.
The Warriors Reinvigorate Their Offense
The Warriors' struggles have to be attributed to the excessive offensive responsibility placed on Stephen Curry's shoulders when he's available. Curry can't have metronomic consistency like he did a few seasons ago primarily because of his age and size. If they want to have any chance of contending, they need another standout scorer who can average 20 points or more.
Zach LaVine is averaging 23.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 4.5 assists this season. He's been one of the best players in the NBA since the calendar turned to 2025, averaging 30.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists in eight games this year.
His form has returned to the All-Star level he was when he got his max contract extension from the Bulls. While there will be concerns about his contract length and price, LaVine has proven his production can live up to the tag.
The Warriors have built a deep lineup this season, but that depth has resulted in average players playing more minutes. Refocusing their roster by adding a high-scoring starter, and integrating Jonathan Kuminga and Draymond Green as starters alongside each other instead of one being a backup for the other, can reap great rewards and help the Warriors fight for Playoff contention this season.
The Bulls Get The Best Offer Possible
Let's not forget that LaVine was being derided as one of the worst trade-value players in the NBA just a season ago. His five-year, $215 million deal signed in 2023 is massive and will be someone's responsibility until 2028. Right now, it's the Bulls' and they seem content with keeping him on the roster instead of parting with draft capital to offload his contract.
This deal works out well for them, as they land Andrew Wiggins who's averaging 16.8 points and 4.4 rebounds. Defensive presence Gary Payton II is averaging 4.7 points and 2.9 rebounds while center Kevon Looney is averaging 5.1 points and 6.8 rebounds. These are three win-now additions in positions of need for the Bulls, moving off LaVine for a healthy return and a first-round draft pick.
Chicago made it clear that they won't be tanking this season, something reflected by their 18-23 record at the midway point of the season for the No. 10 seed.
This lets them fight for a Playoff-berth and get rid of their draft obligation to the San Antonio Spurs by conveying a pick in the teens to the Spurs instead of trying to tank and match its top-10 protection and be tied up in the future, conveying their 2026 pick without any protections.
What Grade Should This Trade Be?
Golden State Warriors: B
Chicago Bulls: B+
The Bulls will definitely prefer what they get for LaVine in this deal than what the Warriors ended up giving up. Getting three rotational players and a first-round pick is a great haul, especially when there's a player like Wiggins who other contenders might covet for additional assets. This would mark a complete 180 on LaVine's alleged 'non-existent' trade value from when he initially demanded a move last winter.
The Warriors do get better so it's hard to call this a bad deal. However, they're paying a steep price for a player who other teams haven't pursued aggressively so far. It also might create a roster imbalance by letting go of a defender like Wiggins for LaVine, especially with another streaker shooter like Buddy Hield also on the roster. It could make them a Playoff team, but it doesn't greatly increase the ceiling of the team.
