Should the Warriors make this trade?
Stephen Curry is at least a Top-15 player of all time, and many would have him inside of their top 10. He is without question the greatest shooter of all time, and his combination of balance, rhythm and touch is legendary. It also means he should be able to bend defenses and shoot at a high volume and accuracy even as he approaches 40 years old.
If the Warriors simultaneously believe that Curry can compete at a high level but can't be the No. 1 player on a championship team, this is the kind of trade to make, even if it means pushing in nearly every draft pick they still have access to and moving on from Jonathan Kuminga.
Giannis Antetokounmpo will finish in the Top 5 of MVP voting this season after another sublime year averaging 30.4 points, 11.5 rebounds and a career-high 6.5 assists. He attacked the rim relentlessly all season, shooting a career-best 61.1 percent from the field. While at some point his athleticism-based game will likely erode more quickly than Curry, at age 29 he clearly still has it.
Pairing Antetokounmpo and Curry would be truly lethal offensively, with Curry much more accomplished and comfortable playing off-ball than Damian Lillard. Teams trying to blitz Curry on the perimeter won't be able to stop Giannis from thundering to the rim, but building a wall in the paint against Giannis would leave Steph to sprint off a screen and get wide open from deep. It's an impossible problem for defenses to stop.
What's also exciting from the Warriors' perspective is the defensive pairing of Antetokounmpo and Draymond Green. Brook Lopez has been an All-Defense center for the Bucks but is a drop-coverage big; Draymond can execute any defensive scheme, and the versatility of the two players would be ideal for building a Top-5 defense and dominating in the playoffs.
After this deal, the Warriors would likely start Stephen Curry, Moses Moody, Klay Thompson, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Draymond Green. Their bench would feature Brandin Podziemski, Gary Payton II and Trayce Jackson-Davis. They would fill out from there, with a few veterans likely on board for signing at the minimum to play in California for Curry and Giannis.
This is the massive swing the Warriors need, and it's worth it even if they need to include Jackson-Davis or Podziemski. Trading for Antetokounmpo gives Curry, Draymond and Steve Kerr a realistic chance at one final title, and then a centerpiece for the next few seasons and Curry ends his career. If this is on the table, or anything close to it, the Warriors need to pull the trigger.
Grade: A