Giannis Antetokounmpo. Stephen Curry, Anthony Edwards, Milwaukee Bucks, Warriors. Giannis trade
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Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks and Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors talk after a game at Fiserv Forum on January 13, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The Golden State Warriors received a subtle but meaningful boost in their blockbuster pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo as the Miami Heat pivoted away from the two-time MVP and toward a buy-low trade for Ja Morant, thinning the field of serious Giannis suitors ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline.
Heat’s Ja Morant Pivot Opens Lane for Warriors’ Giannis Push
According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, Miami is no longer positioned at the forefront of Antetokounmpo trade talks and has redirected its focus toward Morant instead.
“The Heat, who league sources indicate are no longer at the forefront of Giannis trade talks before Thursday’s deadline, are attempting to trade for Grizzlies’ Ja Morant, sources told @ClutchPoints. There is a belief the Heat can pull off a Trae Young-like deal for Morant,” Siegel reported on X on Wednesday.
The Heat’s shift removes one of Golden State’s most credible competitors for Antetokounmpo and leaves the Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves as the most aggressive teams pressing Milwaukee in the final hours before the deadline.
Grizzlies Rebuild Makes Morant a Buy-Low Target
Miami’s pivot was fueled by Memphis’ full-scale reset. The Memphis Grizzlies recently dealt Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz for three first-round picks, following last summer’s trade of Desmond Bane.
Those moves netted Memphis seven first-round picks and cleared roughly $300 million in long-term salary commitments, dramatically reshaping how the franchise views Morant’s contract and trade value. With Miami now absorbed in Morant talks, Golden State’s path to Giannis has narrowed — but not simplified.
The Draymond Green Obstacle
Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors
GettyGolden State Warriors star forward Draymond Green emerges as the roadblock to a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Warriors’ challenge has shifted from competition to construction.
Stein reported that Draymond Green has emerged as the pivotal figure — and primary complication — in Golden State’s negotiations with the Milwaukee Bucks.
“The Stein Line was the first to report on Jan. 23 that Jimmy Butler would not be included in Golden State’s Giannis offers,” Stein wrote. “It has since been confirmed that the Warriors have indeed made Draymond Green part of their pitch to Milwaukee in presumed combination with Jonathan Kuminga, Milwaukee native Brandin Podziemski and draft capital.
“Yet here’s a tangible trade obstacle for the Warriors in their pursuit of Giannis: League sources say that Milwaukee has shown a reluctance to take Green’s contract back and would want him routed to a third team if talks progressed to an advanced stage.”
Contract Math Complicates Warriors’ Deadline Plans
Green, 35, holds a $27.6 million player option for the 2026 season, a figure that complicates already complex salary-matching mechanics. Finding a third team willing to absorb that contract on short notice — while also satisfying Milwaukee’s demand for draft compensation — has slowed momentum in what would otherwise be one of the most seismic trades of the decade.
Golden State controls four future first-round picks, but Stein’s latest report indicated the Bucks want both draft capital and younger rotation pieces, raising the question of whether the Warriors can extract additional assets by rerouting Green elsewhere.
Draymond Green Addresses Uncertain Warriors Future
After Tuesday’s 113–94 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, Green spoke candidly about the possibility that his 13-plus-year run in Golden State could be nearing its end.
“I don’t know that it ends at 13 and a half, but if it does, what a [expletive] run it’s been,” Green said. “I’ll take the fine for it. What a [expletive] run it’s been. I’m blessed. I’m lucky. Grateful. My family has not had to move anywhere since I started my family. That’s incredible. I don’t take that for granted.”
The comments were widely interpreted as an acknowledgment that Green’s name has crossed a line — from theoretical inclusion to an active trade variable.
Warriors Racing Deadline as Giannis Market Narrows
With Miami stepping aside and Minnesota still scrambling to assemble draft capital, the Warriors have gained breathing room but not leverage. The central question facing Golden State in the final 24 hours is whether it can solve the Draymond Green problem — either by finding a willing third team or by reshaping its offer without losing Milwaukee’s interest.
The Heat’s pivot to Ja Morant may have thinned the field, but it has also sharpened the stakes. For the Warriors, the window to pair Giannis Antetokounmpo with Stephen Curry is open — barely — and closing fast.