The Golden State Warriors have turned things around in recent games, having won five in a row. Even with Stephen Curry and Andrew Wiggins out, the Warriors have been able to lean on their dominance at Chase Center (all five wins have been at home).
Warriors receive: Zach LaVine, Alex Caruso
Lakers receive: Nikola Vucevic, Draymond Green
Bulls receive: Russell Westbrook, James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, Max Christie, 2029 1st-Round Pick (via LAL), 2027 2nd-Round Pick (via LAL), Two Warriors 1st-Round Picks
Zach LaVine got UP for this alley oop 😳
He has 18 PTS so far through Q2.
📲 https://t.co/1pomQZMAZK pic.twitter.com/VnroLKZbTh
— NBA (@NBA) December 31, 2022
Ditching Green would be a big ask for the Warriors, but with the rumblings that he could leave after his current deal is up, it might be worth it. Getting a player like LaVine would help cement Golden State’s future with him, Wiggins, and Poole.
For the Lakers, a trade like this would help LeBron James and Anthony Davis compete for a championship this season. Green has been tied to the Lakers in rumors due to his friendship with James, and Vucevic would be an immediate upgrade at the center position.
Lastly, the Bulls would hit the reset button in this deal. Trading LaVine, Vucevic, and Caruso for young assets and picks would set them up nicely for the future. With how much they’ve struggled this season, a rebuild could be the best way to right the ship.
Warriors Urged to Target Alex Caruso
A blockbuster trade for LaVine would completely shake up the league, but it seems a lot more likely that they would make a smaller deal in order to improve their bench unit. Funnily enough, there could still be a potential deal to be made with the Bulls.
According to Michael Pina of The Ringer, the Warriors “should be tripping over themselves” to trade for Caruso.
“Here’s a role player every contender should be tripping over themselves to acquire before the trade deadline. In a season with no prohibitive title favorite and nearly a third of the league believing they’re good enough to win it all, Caruso would be a savvy addition for literally every playoff team…
“Elsewhere, go on down the line. Warriors? Yes. Celtics? Their rotation is set, but if they want to get off Danilo Gallinari’s contract, sure. Pelicans? Of course. Nets, Cavs, Sixers, or Heat? You betcha. Suns? Absolutely positively. Any other team I haven’t mentioned? I don’t see why not,” Pina wrote.
‘Pretty Strong’ Chance Draymond Green Leaves Warriors
As far as the rumors that Green could leave Golden State, according to sources who spoke with Sean Deveney of Heavy Sports, there is a “pretty strong” chance it will happen at the end of his current contract.
“Pretty strong,” a Western Conference executive said of Green’s chances to leave the Warriors. “If they win a championship again this year, there will be pressure to keep things together, but the stuff with the punch [on Jordan Poole] in the preseason, that probably put the nail in it. There was already a good chance he would go just because his production is not what it was and he is getting older [32]. It would be hard to justify paying him $20-something-million a year.”
