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The Golden State Warriors could be back in the hunt in a trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, as he's ready to be moved before the deadline.
The Golden State Warriors escaped Salt Lake City with a 140-124 victory over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night, but the real drama was unfolding 1,500 miles away in Milwaukee. Reports surfaced throughout the day that the Milwaukee Bucks were finally listening to trade offers for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Golden State’s name appeared prominently on the list of serious suitors.
The speculation reached a fever pitch by tipoff at Delta Center. Every team in the league with cap flexibility and tradeable assets was being linked to the two-time MVP. The Warriors, desperate for a second star to complement their aging core, seemed like an obvious landing spot.
But Stephen Curry wasn’t interested in playing general manager. His message to reporters after the win was direct and unmistakable.
Shams Charania
Two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is ready for a new home at the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline or in the offseason as several rival teams make aggressive offers to the Milwaukee Bucks for him, and the franchise is starting to listen, league sources tell ESPN.
Curry Refuses to Engage With Rumors
The 37-year-old point guard made his position clear when asked about the possibility of adding a player like Antetokounmpo before the February 5 deadline. Rather than dance around the question or offer some vague optimism about the front office’s efforts, Curry shut down the entire premise.
He and Draymond Green understand conversations happen constantly around the trade deadline, Curry explained. That doesn’t mean he’s spending emotional energy on possibilities that may never materialize.
“I don’t ever get into hypotheticals,” Curry told reporters in Utah after the game.
It was a straightforward answer that revealed his entire philosophy about deadline speculation. Hypotheticals waste time and energy, he explained. That’s not his job. Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy and the front office are making calls and evaluating options. Until something becomes concrete and real, there’s nothing to discuss. When a deal happens, everyone will know.
The approach has served Curry well throughout his career. He’s been through enough trade deadlines to recognize the difference between noise and substance.
Warriors on NBCS
“I don’t ever get into hypotheticals.”
Steph Curry isn’t focused on any trade rumors swirling around the Warriors 👀
Why the Warriors Need a Star
Golden State entered Wednesday’s game against Utah with a 26-22 record, sitting eighth in the Western Conference. The team hasn’t looked like a legitimate championship contender for most of the season. Curry continues to defy age and expectation. He’s averaging 27.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game while shooting 46.8 percent from the field and 39 percent from three-point range.
Pairing him with Antetokounmpo would fundamentally alter the Warriors’ trajectory. A Curry-Giannis duo would create matchup nightmares across the league—elite perimeter shooting combined with the most dominant interior force in basketball. It would extend Golden State’s championship window by years, not months.
ESPN reported Wednesday that the Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, and Warriors are among the serious suitors for Antetokounmpo. The Bucks, sitting at 18-27 and twelfth in the Eastern Conference, are more open than ever to offers. Milwaukee wants a blue-chip young talent or a significant package of draft picks in return. The franchise isn’t in any rush to complete a deal before the deadline.
How the Warriors Could Actually Land Giannis
Steph Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Warriors
GettyStephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors dribbles past Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Golden State has already positioned itself internally to pursue Antetokounmpo aggressively. According to Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix, the Warriors have made it known around the league they’re prepared to assemble a massive package. That’s if Milwaukee becomes serious about moving its franchise star. The framework reportedly includes Jimmy Butler‘s expiring contract, Jonathan Kuminga, and significant draft capital—up to four future first-round picks.
The Warriors lost Butler to a torn ACL earlier this month, which actually creates opportunity. His nearly $57 million salary next season becomes a necessary matching piece in any blockbuster deal. Golden State can absorb that loss more easily knowing it might facilitate landing a two-time MVP. Antetokounmpo is averaging 28 points, 10 rebounds, and 5.6 assists this season.
Whether Dunleavy can assemble an offer that interests Milwaukee before February 5 will determine Golden State’s fate. It’s the difference between salvaging this season or wasting another year of Curry’s prime.
The Jonathan Kuminga Complication
GettyJonathan Kuminga #1 of the Golden State Warriors.
Any serious Warriors pursuit of Antetokounmpo would almost certainly require including Kuminga in the package. That creates a messy situation for Golden State. Kuminga demanded a trade on January 15.
The relationship between Kuminga and Steve Kerr is fractured. Using him as the centerpiece of a blockbuster trade would solve multiple problems at once. It would clear a disgruntled player from the roster while potentially landing the kind of star who could extend the Warriors’ championship window.
But Milwaukee would need to see value in Kuminga beyond his role as salary filler. The Bucks want players who can contribute immediately or draft capital that provides long-term flexibility. Whether Kuminga fits that description after weeks of DNPs is debatable.
Beyond Butler and Kuminga, the Warriors can offer up to four future first-round picks. That gives them one of the deepest draft portfolios among contending teams. The combination of expiring salary, young talent and draft capital places Golden State among the most structurally prepared teams. That’s if Milwaukee’s stance on Antetokounmpo shifts from listening to dealing.
Final Word
Curry’s refusal to engage with trade speculation isn’t cynicism. It’s survival. He’s been through enough deadline days to know most rumors evaporate before anything meaningful happens. Getting invested in possibilities only creates distraction and disappointment.
The Warriors need help. That much is obvious. Whether they can acquire it in the next seven days remains uncertain. Dunleavy has one week to determine if Golden State’s remaining assets are enough to land a difference-maker. The alternative is staying mostly intact through another mediocre regular season.
For now, the Bucks remain patient. But the Warriors, by all indications, are already prepared. Curry will keep doing what he’s always done—play at an elite level and trust the front office to handle the rest. If a deal materializes, he’ll adapt. If it doesn’t, he’ll keep carrying the load. The hypotheticals don’t matter to him. Only what actually happens does.