Los Angeles Lakers fans can’t believe the rival Warriors have renewed interest in Nikola Vucevic. Golden State tried to land him before the deadline, but couldn’t make a deal work. The two-time All-Star big man sounds like a massive get, especially for a team that needs size, but the Bulls have made the playoffs just once since he arrived in 2021. The 6’10 big man can stretch the floor, but his struggles protecting the rim would leave the Dubs with a massive hole.
LA has their own offseason issues to sort out. They need a starting center to pair with Luka Doncic and would love to add another star. The Lakers’ dreams of landing Giannis are far-fetched, but they did just pull off a trade nobody thought was possible.
Golden State landing Vucevic would be a massive win for the Lakers. The two franchises are all-in on competing in 2026 in a loaded Western Conference. Vuc would create more problems than he fixed for the Dubs, and it would give Luka the perfect target to hunt in any matchup.
Vucevic would solve the Warriors scoring and rebounding woes. The 34-year-old can still get 18 points every night and stretch the floor. It would give the team another offensive weapon, but it would ruin their defense.
Vucevic cannot guard on the perimeter and struggles to protect the rim. He has to play drop but gets toasted for easy buckets by the league’s best finishers. Golden State could use Draymond as a backline rover, but that would not stop stars from feasting in the mid-range and getting Green into foul trouble. Vucevic is not the ideal option in any defensive coverage, and he sinks their title hopes.
The Warriors need upgrades, but the goal should not be to raise their floor. They will make the playoffs if Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green are healthy next season. Golden State should be trying to make one final title run with one of the all-time greats leading their roster. Vucevic has never won a playoff series and is not about to be the starting center on a title contender at 34 years old.
Lakers fans would love to see the Warriors trade for Nikola Vucevic. It would mean Golden State sinking $21.4 million into a big man who can’t play in the postseason. LA fans could only laugh at a rival making such a massive roster-building blunder. The Warriors certainly have interest, but only time will tell if a trade gets done.
The Los Angeles Lakers will upgrade this offseason. They have limited assets and need more talent. Luka Doncic and LeBron James give them a shot against any opponent, but the franchise needs more to win four playoff series. Every team will make moves. The Lakers need some slam dunks, and fans are certainly hopeful other franchises make mistakes. It will happen. The only question is which side of the ledger teams land on.
