The Warriors recently informed Jimmy Butler they don’t plan to trade him as he rehabilitates from a torn ACL in his right knee, a league source tells Nick Friedell of The Athletic.
Jake Fischer and Marc Stein of The Stein Line reported on Saturday that they have received “strong indications” that Golden State’s offer for Giannis Antetokounmpo is unlikely to include Butler. Both players make $54.1MM this season.
General manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. said he didn’t expect to trade Butler in the wake of the six-time All-Star’s season-ending injury. However, that was before the Bucks began listening to offers for the two-time MVP.
Multiple reports have indicated Stephen Curry is the only untouchable Warriors in talks for Antetokounmpo. Golden State’s actions will speak louder than words when it comes to Butler, Friedell notes.
If Butler is not part of the Warriors’ offer, four-time champion Draymond Green will likely have to be part of the outgoing package for salary-matching purposes. He addressed that possibility on Friday.
“I’ve been here for 14 years,” Green said. “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.”
Other members of Golden State’s roster admit the lead-up to the trade deadline is a stressful experience.
“It’s hard on all of us,” veteran big man Al Horford told Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area, “but especially for younger players that are trying to find their way and establish themselves. This time of year, I find that it doesn’t matter what team you’re on, it’s always going to be stressful.
“It’s tough. We kind of have to have some sort of empathy for everybody, because we’re all just kind of going through it. And there’s a lot of ‘what ifs’ and things like that. From my experience, once the deadline passes, everybody kind of takes a deep breath. It slows down, and you’ll see a better team.”
Backup guard De’Anthony Melton is trying to tune out the outside noise, according to Poole.
“Honestly, you just got to put your head down and work,” Melton said. “Some stuff is out of your control. Early in my career, one of the vets told that when a superstar or whatever wants to get moved, everybody’s on the (trading) block. Nobody’s above the program.”
Warriors assured Butler there’s no market for him.
Lmao
Warriors are transparent. They want to trade away Draymond.
Starting in January 2024, I always wanted to trade away Draymond
I doubt the warriors will trade for Giannis now that Curry knee is going to need a lot of rest. Also Bucks can do a better trade this off season and get a high pick for sure in this years draft. Bucks want young players which the warriors do not have.
He is old and has a torn ACL. No win now team is interested and rebuilding teams need picks not him.
Draymond might finally be on the move whether it’s for Giannis or another guy
They don’t need Butler to make the trade and they can keep Draymond. They just have to trade Kuminga, Moody, Hield, Pod, Melton, Santos, and GP3. Easy.
That package is easily beat by Minn, NY, Hou, Atl.
Minnesota and NY don’t have any picks so if it’s half of the warriors roster and valuable picks that’s better than Randle or KAT to Milwaukee
ATL has very strong assets and Houston would probably have to trade their point guards
Unless GA wants to go there they don’t have an attractive package. Just media taking low hanging fruit. Draymond provides no value to like 28 teams. Podz is meh and Kuminga is not viewed positively. Only 2 of those picks maybe really good.
GA can see this team wouldn’t be better than okc, sa, Minn or Nuggets.
Exactly ancient one warrior trade is media hype. If people look at it as a Bucks fan no way they want a trade with no future all stars
That would be the worse trade ever. Warriors would have 0 bench. That would never happen. Seriously do people think a NBA team can win without a bench?? Giannis to warriors is just media hype.
Not with that attitude, you won’t!
I hope they keep Melton, he’s been amazing playing with Curry.
IMO
Probability of Giannis being traded — Bucks want talents younger than 25 and high value Firsts
Heat 25% — Giannis favorite but Heat are likely to make bad offers (similar to Lakers)
Warriors 25% — 4 First round picks and 3 Swaps
Knicks 10% — Bucks want high value first round picks
Wolves 10% — Bucks want high value first round picks
I don’t believe that Knicks and Wolves
Other teams 5% each
I doubt the “assurance” to JB amounts to much. We’ve all seen a team tell a player and the league that the player is “untouchable” only to have him moved like a week later.
If the Warriors could move Butler for Giannis they would. But Giannis would need to “assure” the Warriors he’d extend with them, MIL would need to see the package as a plus and Warriors would need to empty their draft pick coffers for the foreseeable future. Hard to see all three of those things happening.
Too many is only listening to espn spin on it. Why would the Bucks trade their franchise player just for draft picks? They already said they want young players which the warriors lack. They can wait till the off season and get young players and draft pick in this draft that is top 5 if a team moves up.
It all depends on where he is willing to extend. No team will trade everything for him if he isn’t going to re-sign with that team. That factor limits the trading partners for MIL. So despite a better package from a team if Giannis says “I don’t think so” it ain’t happening.
If Heat offer this package to Bucks
Herro
Jaquez
Ware
Heat only have 2 Firsts and 2 Swaps to offer
Heat have no bench at all — all are unplayable
If Heat pay Giannis $275 million, someone would offer more money to Norman Powell in June this year
I’m sure PHI’s FO did similar and assured PG that he won’t be traded. Although, even he, at least in theory, might be back for the playoffs.
BKN would be the only team that might have the spare payroll room to warehouse Butler’s contract, but the price would be steep. MIL is already stuck with Lillard’s dead money going forward; even a complete rebuild requires some cap space.
Butler has an expiring contract in July, easy to be traded
I like Towns
Trade idea
Warriors get Towns
Knicks get Money Green, Kuminga, Hield and 2028 and 2032 Warriors lottery protected Firsts
then Knicks search a high value first round pick from third team and trade it to Bucks