The Warriors reportedly had an opportunity to land a two-time NBA All-Star this weekend.
Golden State turned down a trade offer from the Chicago Bulls that would have sent guard Zach LaVine to the Bay, TNT's Chris Haynes reported Sunday on NBA TV's "Free Agent Fever."
"I was told the Chicago Bulls were trying to get something going with the Golden State Warriors, trying to get a Zach LaVine package together," Haynes said. "What I was told was it could have been a Zach LaVine for a Chris Paul or Andrew Wiggins. The Warriors, from how it was explained to me, the Warriors, they didn't feel that was an adequate amount for a deal structure, so things didn't go as planned, so that fell through, which led to the Golden State Warriors choosing to release Chris Paul.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
"And I was told it was Mike Dunleavy the general manager who called Chris Paul and gave him the news."
The offer, as Haynes reported, consisted of either Paul or Wiggins with other assets potentially involved.
LaVine, along with New Orleans Pelicans guard Brandon Ingram, were mentioned as possible pivots for the Warriors after they failed to work out a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers for star forward Paul George.
LaVine, 29, dealt with various back, foot, shoulder and ankle injuries throughout last season, and he was limited to just 25 games. He averaged 19.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists in those contests while shooting 45.2 percent from the field and 34.9 percent from 3-point range. LaVine still is owed roughly $138 million over the next three seasons on his contract.
Golden State Warriors
Golden State waived Paul on Sunday, clearing the way for the veteran guard to test the market as an unrestricted free agent. He quickly agreed to a one-year contract with the San Antonio Spurs. The Warriors also reportedly are looking to trade Wiggins, who has two years and approximately $54 million remaining on his contract, with a $30 million player option for the 2026-27 season.
Even though the Warriors reportedly were looking to move on from Paul and Wiggins, it appears the Bulls' proposed package was too rich for their taste.
Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast