NBA Rumors: Jimmy Butler halfway out door, Warriors new starting five, Bulls hard bargain

We are less than two months away from the 2025 NBA trade deadline, which means rumors are starting to sprout up all over the place. This season has been a real doozy, defined by an unnatural disparity between the two conferences and a mounting sense of chaos.

There are a couple obvious top dogs, such as Boston and Cleveland in the East or OKC in the West, but the rest of the field is wide open. Most of the East is floating at or below .500 — and still a productive trade or two away from home-court advantage in the playoffs. The West, meanwhile, is loaded with genuinely quality teams who are beating up on one another. One or two upgrades could make all the difference there, too.

To add to the suspense of it all, we could see a star or two moved before the final whistle sounds on Feb. 6. Here is all the latest scuttlebutt to get you through the NBA weekend.

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NBA Rumors: Bulls want first-round pick in Nikola Vucevic trade talks

The Chicago Bulls rather embarrassingly did not receive a first-round pick when trading Alex Caruso for Josh Giddey this summer. As a result, Chicago is prioritizing draft capital as it approaches full rebuild territory.

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Bulls are "seeking a first-round pick" to part with veteran center Nikola Vucevic, who is under contract through next season at roughly $21 million. We can also expect Chicago to listen to trade offers for Zach LaVine, Lonzo Ball, and other vets, although the appetite around the league is limited at best.

Vucevic has been a minor revelation, though, turning back the clock and putting together a legitimate All-Star candidacy for the ninth-place Bulls. Chicago, obviously, would prefer to be a heck of a lot worse than ninth-place with Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, and others floating at the top of draft boards.

The 34-year-old Vucevic won't represent a long-term investment for prospective suitors, but only so many 7-footers can average 21.0 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists while shooting 47.4 percent on healthy 3-point volume. Vucevic spaces the floor, sets thundering screens, and passes well for his position. The defense is exploitable in certain matchups, but this season has been a resounding reminder of his offensive utility.

NBA Rumors: Warriors plan to start Stephen Curry, Dennis Schroder together in backcourt

The Golden State Warriors made the first major splash of trade season, acquiring Dennis Schroder from the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for De'Anthony Melton and a few second-round picks. FanSided's Quinn Everts wrote glowingly about the trade from Golden State's perspective.

"It feels like a lifetime ago when the Warriors offense was roaring; recently, it's been the opposite. Golden State is near the bottom of the NBA in most offensive categories over the past 10 games, and a huge reason for that is a lack of ball-handlers and creators in the second unit. There's talent in the second unit, but not a lot of cohesiveness. Not a lot of ball movement when Steph Curry goes to the bench. That will change with Schroder, who is averaging 6.6 assists per game on a Nets team that he's been pretty brilliant on overall."

Schroder brings valuable playmaking dynamism to a Warriors offense in need. He fits comfortably as the backup point guard, but evidently, Steve Kerr has even grander ambitions for the 31-year-old. The Dubs "envision starting lineups" with Schroder and Stephen Curry together, per ESPN's Shams Charania.

With Brandin Podziemski and Buddy Hield both struggling of late, this makes a lot of sense. Schroder is not what we typically imagine from Steph's backcourt partner — we're used to movement shooting extraordinaire Klay Thompson — but the German point guard's rim pressure and playmaking chops should add a useful dynamic to an offense on the rocks.

Schroder has been excellent for the rebuilding Nets, averaging 18.4 points and 6.6 assists on .452/.387/.889 splits. His numbers will decline naturally with a more talented Warriors team, but he should have the ball in his hands a lot, where he'll benefit from Golden State's monster shooting apparatus.