Warriors make their stance on Draymond Green crystal clear amid Giannis trade rumors

With rumors of a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade to the Golden State Warriors surging in recent days, the assumption has been that any deal would include the now-injured Jimmy Butler and his $54.1 million salary.

However, that may not necessarily be the case as reports emerge suggesting the Warriors may be more open to moving Draymond Green, and therefore chasing what could be the NBA's newest superteam with a trio of Antetokounmpo, Butler and Stephen Curry.

Warriors reportedly prefer to trade Draymond Green in Giannis trade

While Danny Emerman of the San Francisco Standard didn't specifically state that a Green-centered package is preferred, he did report that the franchise anticipates having Butler back next season with or without Antetokounmpo.

Even with Giannis Antetokounmpo suddenly more available than ever, the Warriors have continued to signal their commitment to building around Butler and Steph Curry rather than package Butler’s $54 million salary in a trade, a source indicated. With or without Antetokounmpo, the organization is anticipating that Butler will return next season after a year of ACL rehabilitation," Emerman wrote.

The facts are that Golden State will need to give up Butler or Green in order to execute an Antetokounmpo trade before next week's February 5 deadline. Butler was seen as the likely outgoing piece, not only because it's a perfect salary-match, but because Green will be able to contribute to a playoff run this season.

By trading Green instead of Butler, the Warriors would be signalling that they're not so interested in trying to win the championship this season, but rather focused on building the best possible team to have a real tilt at the title next season (and beyond).

This will also obviously come down to what Milwaukee would prefer -- do they think they can flip Green for an asset of some kind from a contending team, or would they prefer Butler because it means they could also move on from an unwanted contract like Kyle Kuzma or Bobby Portis?

The Bucks are going to direct this. The good news for the Warriors is that they have different contractual frameworks they can put in place depending on what Milwaukee desires, with a boatload of future picks being the real value in any deal.

Golden State have made it clear that anyone not named Stephen Curry will be available in an Antetokounmpo trade, including Green despite his stature as a franchise legend. While the Warriors and Green have been tied ever since his arrival nearly 14 years ago, it would no longer be surprising if the former Defensive Player of the Year is actually in his final days with the franchise.