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Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis holds the ball. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
The Golden State Warriors are operating on two timelines at once, and one NBA analyst believes that reality makes a specific star trade worth exploring.
NBA analyst Jason Timpf recently explained why a move for a 10-time All-Star could be the kind of calculated swing that fits Golden State’s situation, particularly with Stephen Curry’s championship window still open but narrowing. In Timpf’s view, the right deal would push the present without destroying the future.
That context is why one trade pitch has started to circulate more widely.
Why This Pitch Is About the Steph Timeline
The proposal, created by Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley, would send Anthony Davis to Golden State, with Jimmy Butler and future draft assets heading to the Dallas Mavericks.
The logic is not subtle. It is built around maximizing what remains of Curry’s prime without locking the franchise into a decade of regret.
As Timpf put it, the idea works because it “capitalizes on the urgency of the Steph situation” while avoiding the kind of cost that would cripple Golden State long-term.
That framing matters. This is not a desperation swing. It is a targeted one.
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Why Davis Fits the Warriors’ Needs
Anthony Davis, Dallas Mavericks
GettyAnthony Davis, Dallas Mavericks.
Davis changes the geometry of the floor immediately.
Golden State has long relied on spacing, ball movement, and defensive intelligence to offset a lack of traditional size. Davis would give them a two-way interior presence they have not consistently had in the Curry era, someone who protects the rim, rebounds at a high level, and still fits into a read-and-react offense.
He does not need post touches to stay engaged. He thrives as a finisher, a short-roll playmaker, and a defensive anchor. That skill set complements Curry rather than competing with him.
The Warriors would not be asking Davis to be the offensive engine. They would be asking him to stabilize everything around it.
Why the Cost Doesn’t Break the Future
Steve Kerr, Joe Lacob, Warriors
GettyGolden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, left, and owner Joe Lacob looks on from the bench as new developments complicate the team’s trade plans.
The proposal circulating involves Butler and two first-round picks going to Dallas.
Butler’s injury complicates his immediate value, but his expiring contract gives the Mavericks flexibility once he returns to health. From Golden State’s perspective, moving Butler in this scenario would be less about production and more about aligning timelines.
The key is what the Warriors would not be giving up.
This is not a five-pick, swap-heavy package that drains the organization’s flexibility for the rest of the decade. It is a controlled bet on a player who still impacts both ends of the floor at a high level when healthy.
That distinction separates a calculated push from a reckless one.
The Injury Factor Still Looms
Davis is currently sidelined with a hand injury, and durability has followed him throughout his career. That risk is real. It is also baked into the price.
Golden State would not be trading for a 26-year-old ironman. They would be trading for a veteran star whose availability fluctuates but whose impact remains undeniable when he plays.
For a team in the middle of the Western Conference playoff picture, the calculation becomes simple. Would you rather preserve theoretical flexibility, or give Curry a frontcourt partner who changes a playoff series?
Final Word for the Warriors
Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors
GettySteph Curry of the Golden State Warriors remains among the best players in the NBA.
The Warriors are not in tank mode. They are not rebuilding. They are trying to thread a narrow path between the present and the future.
Anthony Davis represents the kind of move that acknowledges reality without surrendering it.
He would not guarantee another title. No trade can do that. But he would give Golden State a defensive ceiling and interior presence they currently lack, while still keeping the organization from emptying every drawer of future assets.
In a season defined by managing the end of an era without rushing it, that balance might be exactly the point.