With Shams Charania’s report that Giannis Antetokounmpo is evaluating his future with the Milwaukee Bucks, the Golden State Warriors should undoubtedly keep their eyes and ears open. However, a potential Warriors trade package for Antetokounmpo would be a terrifying one to put together, as they would have to completely gut their roster.
Not only would they have to trade one of their large-salary players just to match the money Antetokounmpo makes, but the Bucks would likely also want them to send out some young assets. When you combine those two truths, the Warriors would be left in a very tough post-trade position.
But then again, it is Antetokounmpo…
A Warriors trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo would be scary
Antetokounmpo makes roughly $54.1 million this season. If the Warriors wanted to match that in a trade, they would have to trade either Jimmy Butler or Draymond Green and Jonathan Kuminga (plus more). That’s just the beginning.
Trading Butler would be a gut-punch. He’s been a nice addition to the Stephen Curry-era Warriors, and they just landed him in a deal last season. But it also wouldn’t be enough to get Antetokounmpo.
If and when the Bucks trade Antetokounmpo, they are going to want a haul of assets back in return. A 36-year-old Butler isn’t even close to enough. So, the Warriors would also have to throw in guys like Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, and draft capital. At that point, a deal may not even be worth it.
On the flip side, if the Warriors wanted to keep Butler, they would have to trade Green and Kuminga. Kuminga is one thing, but moving on from Green, who has been a franchise staple for over a decade and is a three-time Warriors champion? That would hurt.
Plus, since they would still have to make up some money, Moody would probably also have to be tossed into the deal. That would mean Golden State would be down three rotation pieces in the move.
Not only that, but their top three of Curry, Antetokounmpo, and Butler would be so expensive that it would make putting together the rest of the roster fairly difficult.
Still, they would have a core of Curry, Antetokounmpo, Butler, Podziemski, Al Horford, Buddy Hield, Gary Payton II, and Quinten Post. That’s good, but still, losing Green would hurt.
Add in a couple of first-round draft picks, and the Warriors could put together a decent package for Antetokounmpo (though it probably still wouldn’t be the best around the league).
They could offer it, but it would be a painful (and scary, in terms of depth) deal to make, no matter how you spin it.