A new trade pitch has the Golden State Warriors addressing one of their biggest needs — a skilled big man — by sending out a pair of rotation players.
In a recent proposal by Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report, the Chicago Bulls would send Nikola Vucevic, along with the No. 45 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and a 2028 second-round pick, to the Warriors in exchange for Moses Moody and Buddy Hield.
Trade Breakdown
Warriors Get:
• Nikola Vucevic, 2025 No. 45 overall pick, 2028 second-round pick
Bulls Get:
• Moses Moody, Buddy Hield
Warriors Address the Frontcourt
The Warriors lacked reliable size throughout the 2024–25 season. With aging stars like Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green still anchoring the core, the team needs experienced, playoff-ready support — not another developmental project.
Vucevic, 34, fits that mold. He’s coming off a season where he averaged 18.5 points and 10.1 rebounds while posting career-best efficiency from the field and beyond the arc. Offensively, he brings floor-spacing, passing, and enough size to absorb starter-level minutes at the 5 — something Golden State hasn’t had consistently in years.
While the Warriors would lose two rotation pieces, neither Moody nor Hield carved out reliable postseason roles this year. The trade would tighten the depth, but it would also give the Warriors a true center to help maximize their title window.
Bulls Shift Fully Into the Future
The Bulls may have finished the season on a high note — going 15–5 in their final 20 games — but their long-term future clearly lies with their youth movement. With Coby White, Josh Giddey, and Matas Buzelis already in place, it makes sense to pivot further in that direction.
Adding Moody gives Chicago a 23-year-old wing with upside and a manageable second contract that tops out at $13.4 million. Hield, an expiring or buyout candidate, could provide shooting in the short term or cap flexibility later. And with Vucevic entering the final year of his deal, cashing in now — while also gaining two young assets — allows the Bulls to realign without a major reset.
Lineups featuring Moody, Buzelis, and White offer far more long-term intrigue than anything built around Vucevic or Lonzo Ball.
Is This the Right Move for the Warriors?
This isn’t the blockbuster that shakes up the West, but it’s the kind of surgical trade Golden State has made before. It doesn’t cost them a first-round pick. It doesn’t require parting with any of their stars. And it solves a clear problem.
Yes, it’s a short-term play. But that’s what this era is for. With Curry’s window narrowing and Butler and Green aging, these are the kind of calculated risks that could help the Warriors make one last deep run — or at the very least, avoid another second-round flameout.
Whether the front office sees enough in Vucevic to pull the trigger remains to be seen. But the price? It’s not outrageous. And the fit? It just might be exactly what Golden State has been missing.
