3-Team Trade Idea Gets Giannis to the Warriors and Draymond to a Contender

The Golden State Warriors are all-in on Giannis Antetokounmpo, and that could mean the end of Draymond Green's tenure in the Bay Area.

According to multiple reports, the Warriors are prioritizing keeping Jimmy Butler out of an Antetokounmpo trade, which would just about guarantee that Green would be included as a way to match salaries.

The Bucks would have no use for Green, so they'd likely try to reroute him to a contender for a draft pick and expiring contracts.

Fortunately for them, one team immediately stands out as a potential Green suitor.

The Trade

Warriors get: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Gary Trent Jr.
Bucks get: Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski, Rui Hachimura, Maxi Kleber, first-round picks in 2026, 2028, 2030 and 2032 (all via Warriors), 2031 first-round pick swap (via Warriors), 2032 second-round pick (via Lakers)
Lakers get: Draymond Green

Why the Warriors Do It

I continue to beat the drum that the Warriors should try to not include Moody or Podz (preferably Moody) in a Giannis trade because once they make this move, they will have a hard time acquiring three-and-D players. After all, they will have almost no draft assets and almost no flexibility to offer anything but minimum contracts for free agents.

But if the Bucks demand both, the Warriors don't have any leverage to say no.

They'll have to make do with Stephen Curry and Giannis. Poor Warriors.

Golden State would be banking on veteran ring-chasers coming to the Bay this offseason. And then in 2027-28, perhaps Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler would take pay cuts to open up some cap flexibility.

The strategy is simple: Get Giannis and ask questions later. I don't have any issue with that.

Why the Bucks Do It

The Bucks would be betting on the Warriors falling apart starting in the 2029-30 season. That's not a bad bet.

Sure, Giannis would theoretically still be on the team. But Curry would likely be retired by then, and the Warriors could look a lot like the Bucks do now with Giannis.

That's why the 2030 and 2032 first-round picks and the 2031 first-round pick swap are so valuable.

Aside from getting the Warriors' young players, the Bucks pick up an extra second-round pick from the Lakers by taking on the expiring contracts of Hachimura and Kleber.

Green has a $27.7 million player option for the 2026-27 season that the Bucks would want nothing to do with. It's possible he'd decline it anyway to choose which contender to go to, but if he didn't, the Bucks would probably have to buy him out.

They get to avoid all that mess and pick up a second-round pick. Not bad.

Why the Lakers Do It

The Lakers have three of the best offensive players in the league in Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and LeBron James, but they are seriously lacking in defensive stoppers.

Green would do wonders for them on the less glamorous end.

Kleber isn't in the Lakers rotation right now, so losing him wouldn't hurt. Losing Hachimura's three-point shooting would be felt, but Green's defense should have more of an impact than Hachimura's offense did.

A 2032 second-round pick is a fair price for the Lakers to find out how they'd look with a defensive mastermind like Green.