All eyes are on the Warriors. With the trade deadline looming, everyone wants to know who will the Golden State Warriors bring in to assist the greatest shooter ever. The Warriors aren’t chasing big-name wing players like Jimmy Butler, Brandon Ingram, or Zach LaVine despite all the surrounding buzz. Instead, they’ve got their sights set on someone else entirely. According to ESPN’s Marc Spears, Golden State is prioritizing size over splashy names like Butler.

It looks like the Warriors might have their eyes on Nikola Vučević as their top choice in the trade market for a center. But is he really what the Warriors need? Or is he just a last-ditch attempt? Tim Bontemps’ take on Vucevic, who is earning $20 million this season and has another year left on his contract, and his fit with the Warriors isn’t exactly glowing.

He highlighted the center’s shortcomings on The TK Show, saying, “Nik Vucevic is not an 82-game player, not a 16-game player to go back to the apocryphal Draymond Green quote.” Essentially, while Vucevic might boost the Warriors during the regular season, his defensive limitations could hinder the team in the postseason, where every possession matters.

Adding another wing scorer might sound tempting, but the Warriors are more focused on bringing in a big man to bulk up their lineup. It’s not about star power this time—it’s about toughness and physical presence.

While his ability to stretch the floor is an asset, his defensive rating of 114.2 places him in the bottom half of starting centers in the league. Bontemps also noted that trading for Vucevic wouldn’t significantly change the Warriors’ fortunes. As he put it, “You’re kind of putting lipstick on a pig… it’s just trying to win an extra couple games in the regular season.” Given Golden State’s struggles this season, acquiring Vucevic may not move the needle enough to justify parting with valuable assets.

His playoff history further supports this sentiment. Despite being a solid regular-season contributor, Vucevic has never advanced beyond the first round in his 13-year career, underscoring Bontemps’ claim that “he’s a guy that has never made it out of the first round of the playoffs for a reason.” For the Warriors, who pride themselves on playoff success, this could be a glaring red flag. There are also rumors about another center the Warriors could trade for.

The Warriors look north of the border for a center

The Golden State Warriors, with Steph Curry at the helm, have enjoyed tremendous success, winning four championships over the last decade. However, one area they’ve struggled with is consistent big-man play. This season, they’ve turned to second-year center Trayce Jackson-Davis, but their depth remains a concern. While Kevon Looney has been solid, the Warriors could look to upgrade their backup center before the trade deadline.

Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer reports that the Warriors have linked themselves to several centers, with Toronto Raptors‘ Kelly Olynyk emerging as a potential target. Fischer mentioned, “They’ve been linked to Vucevic, Robert Williams… Kelly Olynyk was someone that the Warriors almost traded for at last year’s trade deadline. That was, from my understanding, very close to being done.” Olynyk, with a manageable salary, could be a valuable addition for Golden State.

At 33, Olynyk is averaging 6.4 points and 3.6 rebounds this season while shooting 44% from three. While not a game-changer, his ability to stretch the floor could provide the Warriors with much-needed frontcourt help.

With the Warriors sitting at 19-19 and tenth in the West, a move before the trade deadline could be crucial. While Olynyk might not solve all of Golden State’s problems, his experience and shooting ability would definitely boost the team’s chances in the competitive playoff race.