Warriors Get Extra 1st-Round Pick to Trade for Giannis in 3-Team Trade Idea

The Golden State Warriors' package of four first-round picks, one first-round pick swap, Draymond Green, Jonathan Kuminga and at least one more young player might not be enough for the Milwaukee Bucks to trade Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The Athletic's Sam Amick reported Tuesday that the offers from all Antetokounmpo suitors "were believed to be underwhelming in the eyes of rival executives and agents."

And though that doesn't mean they are underwhelming in the eyes of Bucks GM Jon Horst, the fact that the Bucks are reportedly sending interested teams counteroffers suggests they aren't quite where the Bucks want them to be.

The Warriors can't improve their offer much. They are offering pretty much everything they have besides Stephen Curry.

But they have one way to make it slightly better.

It will be an unpopular idea among Warriors fans, but they've essentially admitted they have no Plan B, so why not do everything they can to make this happen?

The Trade

Warriors get: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Bucks get: Draymond Green, Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, first-round picks in 2026, 2028, 2030, 2032 (all via Warriors), 2031 first-round pick swap (via Warriors), 2026 first-round pick (via Pistons), Milwaukee's 2027 second-round pick (via Pistons)
Pistons get: De'Anthony Melton

Why the Warriors Do It

We've gone over why the Warriors should do versions of this trade, with the main points being a Stephen Curry-Giannis Antetokounmpo tandem would be the best in basketball, and if Jimmy Butler is close to the 2025-26 version of himself after recovering from his torn ACL, Golden State would have the best trio in basketball for the 2026-27 season.

But what's different about this trade is the Warriors are losing Melton, which would be a huge blow to their 2025-26 playoff chances.

But maybe they should be punting on the 2025-26 season anyway.

Antetokounmpo has a calf injury that could keep him out for a few weeks. Curry has a knee injury that needs rest. We already know Butler is out for the season.

I know it sounds outrageous to have a gap year when Curry is turning 38 in March, but that might be the Warriors' best plan. Rest more down the stretch this season to set up a huge push in 2026-27.

If that's their plan, trading Melton isn't as silly as it sounds. He'll be a free agent in the offseason, and the Warriors will have a hard time re-signing him anyway. At the least, he'll want the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, and with three players making over $170 million, it'll be essentially impossible for the Warriors to get under the luxury tax line to use that exception.

In this trade scenario, the Warriors keep Moses Moody, who is under contract through 2027-28. That makes him more a priority to keep than Melton, who they could lose in free agency even if they clear enough cap room to offer him the NTMLE.

Why the Bucks Do It

The main reason the Bucks would accept a Warriors package is the 2030 and 2032 first-round picks and 2031 first-round pick swap. If the Warriors make the wrong moves after Curry retires, those picks could be the key to a glory run for Milwaukee in mid-2030s.

But what makes this trade different is they are getting an extra low-end first-round pick and a very valuable second-round pick that other Warriors trade ideas don't include.

Would those two extra picks really put them over the top and turn a "no" into a "yes"? Perhaps.

If the season ended today, the 2026 first-round pick would be No. 29. That's not an incredibly valuable pick, but the Bucks have just one pick in the 2026 draft, and they will have tons of developmental minutes open for prospects next season. Whoever they take will have a runway to improve quickly.

The 2027 second-round pick is actually the one they originally owned. So if they are as bad as we expect them to be next season, that pick would be in the low 30s, which is almost like an extra low-end first-rounder.

Why the Pistons Do It

I came up with four teams that might trade a first-round pick for Melton this season. They are the Thunder, Spurs, Rockets and Pistons.

Of those four, the Pistons have the lowest-value first-round pick available in either 2026 or 2027, but they have the biggest need for Melton and the most incentive to help the Warriors get Giannis.

Getting the two-time MVP out of the Eastern Conference will help them. Better to have him in the Bay Area than in Miami or New York.

Melton would fit perfectly with the Pistons. They love to play pressure defense and force turnovers, and Melton is a master at that.

The Pistons also have a much cleaner cap sheet than the Warriors would this offseason, so Melton might not be a one-year rental.

With Melton, their chances to make the NBA Finals would go up. That's worth a late first-rounder and early second-rounder.