Draymond Green Addresses Warriors Future Amid Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade Rumors

The NBA’s trade deadline is less than a week away.

Draymond Green could be included in a big trade that the Warriors may decide to make | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Less than a week away from the NBA’s Feb. 5 trade deadline, the rampant trade rumors around the league will finally come to a head.

The biggest name swirling around this year’s deadline is Bucks superstar and face of the franchise Giannis Antetokounmpo. It’s yet to be seen whether Milwaukee will move on from its star after 12-plus seasons, but all signs point toward a potential breakup that could come now or in the offseason.

One of the top potential suitors for Antetokounmpo is the Warriors as Golden State tries to capitalize on what’s left of Steph Curry’s illustrious career while the team deals with a season-ending torn ACL to second star Jimmy Butler. To acquire Antetokounmpo’s massive $54.1 million salary for this season, any team would need to find a way to make the money work.

For the Warriors, two big veteran contracts loom in trade discussions—Butler’s $54.1 million and Draymond Green’s $25.8 million. Butler’s salary matches Antetokounmpo’s perfectly, but Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. has said he doesn’t envision trading Butler because of the injury as he is on the books to return to Golden State next season.

That leaves Green as a large chunk of what the Warriors could use to match Antetokounmpo’s salary, but Golden State parting with the veteran forward after 13-plus seasons and four championships would be a shock in its own right. On Friday night, Green addressed the potential uncertainty of his future with the franchise he’s been synonymous with throughout his career.

“I’ve been here for 14 years,” Green said via ESPN’s Anthony Slater. “I have no reason to sit and worry about leaving. But if I’m traded, that’s part of the business. I ain’t losing no sleep though. I slept great last night.”

Green would likely only be included in a trade that nets a massive upgrade for the current roster. Golden State could use Jonathan Kuminga’s $22.5 million contract as a piece of a bigger deal or to bring in players to deepen the rotation during Butler’s absence. Kuminga’s value on the trade market after his trade demand is a question, however, and Dunleavy acknowledged it may be minimal. Working in the Warriors’ favor is Kuminga has a team option for next year, essentially making his contract expiring for teams interested in clearing salary for next season.

Slater, citing team sources, reported that there’s a sense everyone on Golden State’s roster besides Curry is vulnerable as the front office chases Antetokounmpo. That puts Green’s Warriors future in jeopardy, at least for the time being. He has yet to be traded or put on a different jersey since the Warriors made him the 35th pick in the 2012 NBA draft, later becoming a critical piece of Golden State’s title teams.

What’s clear is that Golden State must make a move if it wants to compete for a title in the current NBA. Should the Warriors make another championship push with Curry, the surrounding roster will look a lot different than the last title squad from ‘22.

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