If the Golden State Warriors were ever going to sell the farm for a player, it would be in a trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, Antetokounmpo recently spoke with Sam Amick of The Athletic, noting that he has no intention of ever requesting a trade away from the Milwaukee Bucks.
“There will never be a chance, and there will never be a moment that I will come out and say, ‘I want a trade,’ ” Antetokounmpo, who can opt out of his contract in the summer of 2027, told The Athletic. “That’s not … in … my … nature. OK?”
So, with that in mind, there is only one type of Warriors trade that makes sense anymore: Find a way to add a valuable piece that helps in the short-term and long-term.
End of potential Giannis chase means Warriors next trade needs to be carefully concocted
Playing the two-timeline strategy didn’t work for the Warriors before. It’s why Jordan Poole now suits up for the New Orleans Pelicans, and why the Warriors and Jonathan Kuminga haven’t gotten along for a while.
However, the next step in the Warriors’ trade plans needs to be finding a guy who can do both. Just because Poole and Kuminga didn’t work out doesn’t mean it’s not a smart idea.
Right now, Golden State needs someone who can support Stephen Curry in the scoring column by playing alongside him and on his own when Curry hits the bench.
Lauri Markkanen makes some sense. Trading Kuminga, Draymond Green, and picks would get the Warriors there, but moving Green would be a wild decision, considering how much he means to the franchise.
Another name that would be perfect is Trey Murphy III. If Golden State could find a way to pry him away from the Pelicans, he is the exact type of player who could help Curry now and also lead the next era of Golden State basketball.
Outside of that, the Warriors will have to get a little bit creative. Trying to snag Coby White from the Chicago Bulls would be ideal. Getting Keon Ellis (or, in an ideal world, Keegan Murray) from the Sacramento Kings would be awesome. Even taking a bigger swing on someone like Michael Porter Jr. could make some sense.
The point is, the time for selling the farm is over. Antetokounmpo isn’t on the market anymore, so any dreams Golden State had of that are gone.
Now, they need to find the right piece. The guy who can help Curry right now but also help lead the next Warriors team once he retires.
That’s the trade the Warriors need to make.