Though the Golden State Warriors are simply 4 video games above .500 in the meanwhile, issues are trying up for them. Even after dropping their second-best participant, Jimmy Butler, to a season-ending ACL tear. Why ought to they be so optimistic?
Properly, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst not too long ago acknowledged that the Warriors seem like the clear favorites for a Giannis Antetokounmpo commerce.
Brian Windhorst says the most certainly commerce vacation spot for Giannis is to the Warriors:
“If there’s a deal thats going to be carried out earlier than the dealine, in my perception, Golden State is the staff to make that deal”
— Guru (@DrGuru_) January 30, 2026
That might be an apparent recreation changer for Golden State, who has been treading water for a lot of the season.
After all, it might imply they’d be mortgaging their future to amass a brilliant duper star. Nonetheless, on condition that their very own star, Steph Curry, could solely have a few seasons left in him, it could be price it to have three extra bites on the apple.
The Warriors are the clear favorites for Giannis Antetokounmpo
So far as a possible commerce, Golden State can provide the Milwaukee Bucks as much as 4 first-round picks and three decide swaps. They might additionally must match salaries by buying and selling Butler or Draymond Inexperienced.
Nonetheless, in the event that they had been feeling particularly bold, Golden State might attempt to pry Myles Turner away from the Bucks as effectively. In that state of affairs, they may additionally ship out Jonathan Kuminga to match wage.
He’d give Milwaukee a possible wild card who, on the very least, would permit them to get off of Turner’s questionable contract. In that case, Golden State woud get extra bang for his or her buck in a Bucks commerce—see what I did there?
Would the Warriors be a contender with Giannis?
It actually depends upon what they offer up. If it is Butler, Kuminga, and, say, Moses Moody plus picks, that would not change their rotation dramatically.
Sure, after all they’d be including Giannis, however they would not be gutting their rotation participant to take action. In the event that they had been to in some way get each Giannis and Turner, it might probably push Inexperienced to the bench however give them each extra dimension and extra capturing. A Giannis and Curry pairing alone could be sufficient to hold the Warriors to the playoffs.
They could even make them a top-4 staff within the West. Nonetheless, I might put them behind the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder and Denver Nuggets to win the West.
However, contemplating they’re within the backside half of the West proper now, touchdown Giannis might put them within the combine to contend. That makes a possible blockbuster commerce price it for Golden State.
