The proposed trade would land Giannis Antetokounmpo with the Golden State Warriors
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The proposed trade would land Giannis Antetokounmpo with the Golden State Warriors
With the NBA trade deadline rapidly approaching, the Golden State Warriors are on the clock.
Golden State has been heavily linked with an interest in Giannis Antetokounmpo in recent weeks. The two-time MVP is expected to be open to leaving the Milwaukee Bucks. And, on paper, the Warriors could produce the best in-season trade package.
In a recent article for Bleacher Report, Andy Bailey proposed a trade that could pair Giannis with Stephen Curry. The full trade idea looks like this:
Warriors Get: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kyle Kuzma and Thanasis Antetokounmpo
Milwaukee Bucks Get: Jimmy Butler, Jonathan Kuminga, Ziaire Williams, a 2026 first-round pick, a 2028 first-round pick, a 2031 first-round pick swap and a top-one protected 2032 first-round pick from Golden State
Brooklyn Nets Get: Moses Moody
“In the aftermath of this trade, Golden State still might not be favored against healthy Western Conference powerhouses like the Oklahoma City Thunder or Denver Nuggets, but the combination of Giannis and Curry, who’s games almost seem tailor-made for each other, would give them a shot,” Bailey wrote. “And for all Curry has done for that organization for almost two decades, he’s earned one last shot.”
It’s worth noting that Draymond Green would not be involved in Bailey’s trade idea. Therefore, Golden State’s new-look veteran core would be built around Curry, Giannis and Green. That’s a solid foundation for success in the short term.
Warriors Have Made “Pick-Heavy” Trade Offer
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, speaking via SportsCenter, Golden State has made a draft pick-heavy offer for Giannis.
“My understanding is the Warriors have made a pick-heavy offer,” Charania said. “…The Bucks are going to have to choose if they want to take one of these offers or potentially wait until the offseason.”
The Warriors are able to offer multiple first-round picks, a plethora of young talent and proven veterans as salary matching. If a trade occurs before the Feb. 5 deadline, Golden State should be in the driver’s seat. Other interested parties may need to wait until the summer before making an offer, as they could then offer additional future picks.
Steve Kerr Has Spoken With Draymon Green
Draymond Green has spent his entire career with the Golden State Warriors. However, the veteran forward is being discussed as a salary-matching makeweight in a potential trade for Giannis.
When speaking on 95.7 The Game’s “Willard and Dibs,” Warriors’ head coach Steve Kerr admitted that he’s spoken with Draymond following the latest round of rumors.
“[Draymond and I] have talked [about the trade rumors],” Kerr said. “I think what’s really tricky for Draymond is this is the only place he’s ever known. He’s going to have a statue outside the building someday. Really weird position for him to be in for sure because there’s never really been a time in his entire career where he even had to think about putting on another jersey. … He’s never been through this and it’s definitely been on his mind.”
Golden State is clearly all-in on adding Giannis to the current roster. If that means trading away Green, then that’s likely what they’ll choose to do. However, as shown by Bailey’s trade proposal, moving Green isn’t the only option available to Mike Dunleavy Jr.
It’s going to be fascinating to see how all this plays out with the trade deadline looming.