Trade buzz linking Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Warriors is forcing Golden State to reconsider its core, with Draymond Green no longer viewed as untouchable in a franchise-defining moment.
WEBDESK – Act Global Media – January 30, 2026
The Golden State Warriors are confronting one of the most consequential decisions of the Stephen Curry era as the possible availability of Giannis Antetokounmpo forces the franchise to reassess even its most entrenched pillars, including Draymond Green.
For years, the idea of pairing Stephen Curry with Antetokounmpo lived in fantasy. Now, league conversations suggest it is at least conceivable, prompting what sources describe as a broader internal discussion about how far Golden State Warriors would go to maximize Curry’s remaining championship window.
According to ESPN reporter Anthony Slater, Golden State has widened the scope of what it would consider in talks involving Antetokounmpo, a notable philosophical shift for a front office long defined by continuity and loyalty to its championship core. At the center of any mechanics is Jimmy Butler, whose nearly $57 million salary next season presents the cleanest path for matching money in a blockbuster deal.
While team sources say Butler is not being actively shopped, Slater reported that “everything is on the table” in an Antetokounmpo conversation. That could include a package involving Green and additional rotation players, a notion that would have been unthinkable for much of the Warriors’ dynasty.
Green, a four-time NBA champion and former Defensive Player of the Year, has long been considered foundational to Golden State’s identity. But insiders say Antetokounmpo’s potential availability has the power to change calculations across the league. NBA reporter Jake Fischer previously noted that while the Warriors have resisted all-in moves requiring Green’s departure, Antetokounmpo would likely alter that equation.
The debate inside Golden State is as much about timing as sentiment. With Curry still playing at an elite level, decision-makers must weigh whether extending the title window justifies dismantling parts of the core that built it.
Asset-wise, the Warriors are positioned to make a competitive offer. They can include multiple first-round picks, including 2026, 2028 and 2032 unprotected selections, with conditional options beyond that, giving them flexibility if talks escalate with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Green himself has previously cautioned against mortgaging the future for moves that fail to fundamentally change a team’s trajectory. Antetokounmpo, however, represents the rare exception, a transformational talent whose arrival could redefine a franchise.
If Golden State believes this gamble could deliver one final championship push, even the Warriors’ most sacred untouchables may no longer be untouchable.
