The Warriors expected to wait for the potential trade of Nikola Vucevic

The Golden State Warriors have fallen back to Earth after a hot start to the season and now everyone is talking about it how the Warriors can get back into the fight. The consensus seems to be that it should happen in exchange for another star player or another great scorer before the deadline.

In particular, the Warriors have been linked to a number of centers that could give them more interior versatility. One of those The proposed option is Chicago Bulls big man Nikola Vucevicwho would give the Warriors some much needed shooting and floor spacing.

Despite Vucevic’s perceived flawless fit in Golden State, the Warriors did in no hurry to make a deal and could end up waiting until the trade deadline approaches to pull the trigger, according to Ohm Jangmisuk of ESPN.

“But both Western Conference executives expect the Warriors to wait and see what’s in the market for a player like Chicago Bulls big man Nikola Vucevic as the Feb. 6 deadline approaches,” wrote Youngmisuk. “Vucevic would give Kari a much-needed scorer.” The ideal situation for the Warriors would be for Vucevic, who earns $20 million this season, to expire.

“Western Conference executives also noted that if the Warriors slip further in the standings, they could reduce their luxury tax bill.”

Are the Warriors good enough to justify being buyers at the deadline?

At the beginning of the season, The Warriors looked like they had what it took to be a contender in the Western Conference this season. However, they are now trying to win night after night just to stay in the game.

That dichotomy between the ceiling and the floor of this Warriors team makes them a very difficult evaluation as the trade deadline approaches. This team’s ceiling would absolutely convince the front office to make a deal to improve and make a push toward the top of the standings, but the floor they’ve shown may indicate that this roster is closer to a rebuild than a title.

A player like Vucevic, who the Warriors could probably acquire on the cheap expiring contracts and would be a great fit, seems like a viable option to try to improve enough to sneak into the playoffs and make a push in the series. Another option would be someone like Walker Kessler of the Utah Jazz which would immediately make this a very good defensive team.

The Warriors should still try to improve the roster while they still have Curry on the team and they’re playing well, but they shouldn’t overreach and try to sacrifice the franchise’s future for a run this season. The level of play that this team constantly shows does not justify it. However, perhaps a minor move or even an addition like Vucevic will be enough to make the Warriors a dangerous player in the playoffs.