On his latest Bleacher Report livestream, NBA insider Jake Fischer reiterated The Stein Line's report that the Golden State Warriors aren't interested in trading injured Jimmy Butler for Anthony Davis. He said that the team "assured' Butler that they won't explore his trade market, that is, unless Giannis Antetokounmpo (or LeBron) became available. As we know by now, the 31-year-old superstar is.
Fischer said he has been told that the Warriors will "explore ways" to turn Butler's contract into Antetokounmpo. He noted that Golden State has eyed Giannis for years and that he's "the gold standard" for the team's preferred pairing alongside Steph Curry, not Butler.
You can understand why the Warriors are willing to part with Butler for Giannis. In case you don't, the easiest way to explain it is that Giannis is Giannis. Enough said.
Fischer floated a potential package featuring Butler and Jonathan Kuminga. While the latter technically fits the Bucks' request for young players, they would probably want more, and we're not talking about draft assets, though they want those, too. Milwaukee could be eyeing Brandin Podziemski. There isn't a world where Golden State shouldn't be willing to part with the soon-to-be 23-year-old.
Warriors are willing to trade Jimmy Butler for Giannis
The Giannis trade saga could be put on pause after the deadline until the offseason, when more teams will have access to additional first-round picks. However, given Golden State's desire to win another title with Curry, the Warriors could push to get a deal done before the deadline.
Anthony Slater of ESPN highlighted how Mike Dunleavy previously said that it'd "take a good amount" for the organization to move its post-Curry era draft picks. Slater wrote that those picks (they have up to four first-round picks they can offer) would be "available" to the Bucks for Giannis.
Outside of Curry, Golden State could be willing to offer everyone and everything else to get a deal done now rather than later. Although Antetokounmpo will be out for the next few weeks with a calf strain, his second of the season, he should be available for the playoffs. Time is ticking for the Warriors to win another title with their star guard, and how special it'd be to win one with him and Giannis.
As good as Butler has been in the Bay over the past year, there are some opportunities you can't pass up, and that includes including him in a trade for Antetokounmpo. Maybe they will trade for him without giving him up, but that'd mean Draymond Green's departure. As exciting as it would be to get Giannis, it won't happen without a little bit of heartbreak.
Butler has been in the league for a long time (since 2013), so he understands by now that the NBA is a business. He may not want to leave the Warriors, but since Giannis is on the table, he knows that's a real possibility.