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Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors
For the past few years, the Golden State Warriors‘ modus operandi has been to give Stephen Curry a shot at another NBA championship. Joe Lacob and Mike Dunleavy Jr. have done a solid job of constructing a roster that could do just that in the upcoming 2025-26 NBA season.
However, when you’re trying to reach the mountain top, keeping your ear to the trade market is a prerequisite. If a superstar suddenly becomes available, the Warriors would be wise to explore potential trade packages to bring them to the Bay Area — much like they did with Jimmy Butler in February.
That’s where Giannis Antetokounmpo could come into the equation. The two-time MVP is reportedly unsettled with the Milwaukee Bucks, primarily due to their inability to put together a winning rotation in recent years. It’s for that reason that Matt Moore of FanSided has put together an intriguing mock trade to send Giannis to the Bay Area.
The proposed trade looks like this:
Golden State Warriors Get:
- Giannis Antetokounmpo
Milwaukee Bucks Get:
- Draymond Green
- Moses Moody
- Buddy Hield
- Brandin Podziemski
- Two first round picks
“Obviously, Draymond is the third rail here,” Moore wrote. “Steph Curry might never approve it. But also, if you’re the Warriors, and you realize how much further your window is extended … do you do it anyway? You fundamentally reshape your entire future instead of trying to sneak out one more title. It buys you time to reconfigure and extend your success and avoid a post-Steph rebuild.”
Pairing Giannis and Curry would instantly position the Warriors near the top of the Western Conference. Butler would also still be on the roster, as would Al Horford. On paper, Golden State would become nearly unstoppable with Giannis drawing defenders into the paint.
Stephen A. Warns NBA Of Giannis to Warriors
During a recent episode of ESPN’s First Take, veteran anchor Stephen A. Smith warned that pairing Giannis and Curry would be a cheat code in the NBA.
“You want to talk about unfairness in the National Basketball Association, don’t let Giannis get to Golden State with Steph Curry,” Smith said on Oct. 9. “If that happens—oh, my Lord, it wouldn’t be fair to the basketball world for those two to be wearing the same uniform on the court, especially if you kept Draymond Green, who’s your point forward facilitator, who’s your Energizer Bunny, and who feeds Steph Curry better than anybody on the planet.”
“You want to talk about unfairness? … Don’t let Giannis get to Golden State with Steph Curry. If that happens… it wouldn’t be fair to the basketball world… [the Warriors] would coast to the [NBA] title.”
—Stephen A. Smith
(via @FirstTake)
On paper, Golden State would be the most seamless transition for Giannis. Their roster is already set up to maximize his skill set. Furthermore, if Milwaukee were put in a position to trade its star player, sending him out West would likely be favorable.
Warriors’ Young Talent Could Be Enticing
Getting both Green and Buddy Hield back in a trade package for Giannis would be less than ideal for the Bucks. If they move on from their superstar forward, they will likely be entering a rebuild. Therefore, the focus would be on getting back younger talent.
Fortunately, Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody are high-level young prospects. They both have a high upside and could be intriguing prospects for the Bucks. Milwaukee’s front office could also try to re-route Green and Heild in separate deals to maximize their return.
There is a chance the Bucks could get a better package elsewhere. However, Podziemski’s inclusion in the deal could give Milwaukee a solid building block for the future. And, if Giannis is drawn to the idea of life in San Francisco, there should be enough of a spine to Moore’s trade proposal that Milwaukee could be tempted to play ball.
Of course, this is all speculative. But if Giannis does become available, you can’t count out Golden State as a potential destination.
Adam Taylor is a basketball reporter covering the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks and Miami Heat for Heavy. He holds bylines for CelticsBlog, USA Today and Yardbarker. Adam also covers the WWE and AEW. He has a bachelor’s degree in creative writing from Open University. More about Adam Taylor
