Golden State Warriors

Golden State Warriors superstar guard Stephen Curry chimed in Monday night regarding the blockbuster trade that shook the NBA to its core Saturday.

When asked by reporters for his thoughts on the trade that sent guard Luka Dončić from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Curry said: "It's a reminder that there are only a few in this league that can go to sleep with any type of confidence that you'll still be there. It's kind of a really unique situation across the board. The idea that it happened in silence is pretty crazy."

Prior to ESPN's Shams Charania breaking news of the trade on Saturday night, there hadn't been any rumors out there regarding a potential Dončić trade.

Dončić is a 25-year-old superstar who just last season led the NBA with 33.9 points per game, finished third in the NBA MVP voting and took the Mavericks to the NBA Finals.

He has been out of action since December due to a calf injury, but the five-time All-Star has still been highly productive when healthy this season, averaging 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 7.8 assists, 3.4 three-pointers made and 2.0 steals per game.

The trade gives Dallas' roster a bit more diversity since Davis can be an interior complement to guard Kyrie Irving's outside game, but given that Davis will turn 32 in March, the deal likely shortens the Mavs' championship window.

The opposite is true for the Lakers, who now have two ball-dominant players in Dončić and LeBron James.

It is unclear how well they will mesh together, but even if trading Davis for Dončić does not pay immediate dividends, it is easy to understand why Los Angeles made the move from a long-term perspective.

Had the Lakers moved forward with a core of James and Davis, they likely would have needed to reset the roster upon James retirement.

Now, provided Dončić signs a long-term extension with the Lakers, the organization will have another superstar ready to take over for LeBron once he steps away.

An argument can be made for the Mavs being better equipped to win this season with Davis and Irving leading the way, although it is far from a certainty given that the Dončić-Irving combo made it to the Finals just last season.

Curry, 36, is a four-time NBA champion, two-time NBA MVP and arguably the greatest shooter in NBA history, so he may be one of the very few players in the league safe from a shock trade.

In fact, Curry and James may be the only two players in that category, although not even that is certain on the heels of one of the league's biggest stars getting traded seemingly from out of nowhere.

NBA trade season has suddenly become awash with landscape-altering activity.

It's past time for the Golden State Warriors to get involved in the big-name wheeling and dealing.

The Dubs just need to know that not every available star is worth pursuing.

That maybe sounds obvious, but it's also something they disagree with. As ESPN's Shams Charania relayed during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, the Warriors "are legitimately calling about every All-Star player" and "are dead set on trying to find another star player, superstar player, (to pair) with Stephen Curry."

Golden State's reason for casting such a wide net is obvious. Its long-standing need for a legitimate co-star alongside Stephen Curry is that significant. There are hints of high-end abilities from Jonathan Kuminga and stretches of solid-or-better games for Andrew Wiggins, but nothing consistently great enough to fill that second-star void.

Oft-discussed and thrice-suspended Miami Heat swingman Jimmy Butler has the bona fides to fill that role. He's a six-time All-Star and author of some of the most dominant postseason showings in recent memory.

On the surface, he appears a perfectly suitable candidate for the job. And despite a recent report from ESPN's Brian Windhorst that Butler has communicated to the Warriors he is "not interested in signing a contract extension there," they "believe they are still firmly in the mix for (him)," per The Athletic's Anthony Slater.

Making the money work on a Butler blockbuster is tricky. The Warriors would have to sacrifice multiple significant players to match his $48.8 million salary, per Spotrac. That's a juggling act on its own, and that's before accounting for his future uncertainty, as his contract holds just a $52.4 million player option for next season.

Golden State would have to jettison one of Wiggins, perhaps its best two-way player, or Draymond Green, its defensive architect and Curry's long-running sidekick, and more just to line up the finances. Throw in whatever other sweeteners Miami would ask for, and the cost adds up quickly.

Granted, that's true of just about any star the Warriors would pursue, but Butler brings different baggage than the rest. Setting aside his uncertain future, there's also his ongoing availability issues and the fact he's headed toward another bitter breakup with an NBA employer. As The Athletic's Anthony Slater and Marcus Thompson II recently put it, "the drama coming out of Miami is not lost on this locker room."

Now, talent has a way of trumping chemistry concerns, but does Butler warrant such a high-degree of risk-taking? He's now three seasons removed from his last All-Star selection and wouldn't have warranted consideration this season even without the suspensions. His 17 points per game are his fewest in over a decade. His 4.8 assists are his lowest since 2018-19.

For an offense in serious need of a jolt, are the Warriors sure he's the right player to provide it? He has never been much of a shooting threat, so spacing would be a concern whenever he's paired with another non-shooter. He also tends to do his best offensive work with the ball in his hands, so would Golden State be willing to trim down Curry's touches to get Butler's best?

Those don't feel like concessions worth making. Not when taking into account everything else that Butler would bring. And definitely not when considering the alternatives in the Warriors' star search, which includes the likes of LeBron James and Kevin Durant.

Those players are in their twilight years, too, but their production doesn't show their mileage the way Butler's has. Durant is still pumping an efficient 26.9 points per night. James' nightly contributions include 24 points on 51.3 percent shooting and 9.1 assists. Those are the kinds of numbers the Warriors would need to see to consider moving Curry out of the focal-point role and into more of a 1A-1B setup.

While there's always a proverbial right price for any player, even a bargain deal for Butler would carry too many risks. Golden State doesn't have anything close to the Association's best collection of assets, so it might only get one crack at finding the right co-star for Curry. Butler just isn't it.

The Golden State Warriors aren't giving up on landing disgruntled Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler.

Per The Athletic's Anthony Slater, the Warriors believe they are still "firmly in the mix for Butler or another of the league's star dominos that could topple as part of the Butler transaction or once it is resolved," despite a report from ESPN's Brian Windhorst saying that Butler had "communicated to the Warriors that he's unwilling to sign an extension there."

Butler's unwillingness to sign an extension with the Warriors, in theory, ended trade talks, though Windhorst noted that conversations had only halted "for now." According to Slater, the Warriors viewed the "for now" part of that report as an indication that there's still a chance they could land Butler.

Golden State has until Thursday afternoon to sway Butler into wanting to sign past the 2024-25 season. The Warriors will also have to make Miami an enticing offer as teams like the Phoenix Suns compete for Butler.

Slater noted that Phoenix is Butler's preferred destination and has been for a long time. That is partially "because of an awaiting extension offer that is longer and more lucrative than one the Warriors would be willing to make."

While the Suns might be willing to give Butler an extension that is more to his liking, there is one key element that could be a roadblock in making a trade. Bradley Beal, who will likely be the key piece in any offer from Phoenix, has a no-trade clause in his contract, meaning he can veto the Suns' deal if they want to send him somewhere he isn't in favor of.

If trade talks for Butler come down to the final moments before the deadline, that could play to the Warriors' advantage.

Golden State is currently sitting outside of the playoff race at 24-24. If the season ended today, the Warriors wouldn't even get a trip to the play-in tournament. Adding another scoring option like Butler alongside Stephen Curry might not make them a championship contender, but it could certainly help them avoid back-to-back seasons with a postseason absence.

There was a real possibility of Zach LaVine landing with the Golden State Warriors. However, with Sacramento showing interest in LaVine, the Chicago Bulls "didn't want to wait in order to complete other deals from inquiring teams," ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel reported.

After exploring multiple scenarios late last week, one framework had both LaVine and Nikola Vucevic heading to the Warriors from Chicago, but it fell through, leading the Bulls to join the trade that sent De'Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs and LaVine to the Sacramento Kings, per Siegel.

In addition, Andrew Wiggins, Gary Payton II, Kevon Looney and other assets would have had to be traded to the Bulls and another team for cap reasons, per Siegel. Neither Jonathan Kuminga nor Moses Moody were involved in these trade talks.

During the offseason, there was a scenario that would have sent LaVine to the Warriors for Andrew Wiggins, but they did not feel ready to part ways with Wiggins yet.

The Warriors wanted Dennis Schroder to be included in trade talks as an outgoing $13 million expiring salary. However, he cannot be traded with another player until his restriction is lifted on Feb. 5.

Now, the Golden State Warriors are scrambling for a last minute trade to update their roster. Not for the first time, having been aggressively trying to land Paul George and Lauri Markkanen during the offseason.

After losing fellow splash-brother Klay Thompson in the offseason, it has become evident that the Warriors need to add someone to back up Stephen Curry, who has been frustrated with how the season has gone, currently sitting at 24-24.

"It's not for me to make those decisions. I want to win. So whatever it means to do that," Curry said after the team's 130-105 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Friday. "We have conversations all the time. I want to win. It's not my job. I'm not a coach, I'm not a GM, I'm not an owner. It's pretty clear where I stand, trying to make the necessary adjustments to try to win."

Head coach Steve Kerr has even voiced his frustrations, saying that the team is not good enough to avoid making a move before the trade deadline.

"We're not in a position where we can say, 'Nah, we're good. Let's stand pat,'" Kerr said on Friday. "That's the reality of where we are."

In addition, after the trade that saw Dallas' Luka Dončić, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris head to Los Angeles for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round draft pick, questions began to arise around LeBron James's future and his no-trade clause.

Having wanted to finish his career in Los Angeles, sources say that James' future ideology remains the same after the trade, at least for now, per ESPN's Ramona Shelburne and Tim MacMahon.

However, the Warriors could potentially make another run at James, according to sources with Warriors insight, per Shelburne and MacMahon. Additionally, a Kevin Durant reunion could be a possibility.

After missing out on LaVine, the Warriors will need to make some big moves before the Feb. 6 deadline.

The Golden State Warriors are reportedly interested in adding another scoring option alongside Stephen Curry.

Per Clutch Points' Brett Siegel, the Warriors' front office has "discussed" a trade for New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram, though Golden State is more likely to make "minor moves" that could move it under the luxury tax.

"Unless the Dubs pursue Ingram, which has been a scenario this front office has discussed, league sources have indicated that Golden State will be making minor moves to potentially move out of the tax," Siegel wrote.

Ingram had a good start to the season, putting up 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists in 18 games, but he has not played since Dec. 7 because of a sprained ankle. The Athletic's William Guillory reported on Jan. 23 that Pelicans coach Willie Green said Ingram hasn't yet been cleared for contact drills.

Should the Warriors make a move for Ingram, they would have to do so with the understanding that his injury status is up in the air.

Another risk that comes with trading for Ingram is his impending free agency. The 27-year-old is set to hit the open market this offseason, meaning Golden State could only get him for half a season.

Considering the Warriors are far from being a championship contender, trading for Ingram might not be worth giving up players or picks for what could end up being a rental.

As Siegel noted, the Warriors could pivot to smaller trades that can help them save some money. Golden State is currently $5.987 million over the luxury tax, giving it an estimated tax bill of $15.173, per Spotrac.

It wouldn't take a seismic roster change to get the Warriors out of the tax, so that could be the easiest move for Golden State ahead of the deadline.

Of course, Golden State wants to maximize what will likely be the tail end of Stephen Curry's career in the coming years, and the Warriors can't do that without making a splash ahead of the trade deadline. Whether the Dubs are willing to go further over the luxury tax for a chance to make a run at the playoffs will be revealed in the coming days.

As if the past few days in the NBA wasn't wild enough already, the Golden State Warriors are also open for business ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline and are looking to make a major splash.

"The Warriors are legitimately calling about every All-Star player," ESPN's Shams Charania reported Monday during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. "You just name the All-Star player, the Warriors have probably called on them. Paul George, they probably call, they have called. They made calls on every star. And that, of course, includes players like LeBron James, players like Kevin Durant, players like Jimmy Butler. They are making calls. They are dead set on trying to find another star player, superstar player, with Stephen Curry. That is another subplot to this trade deadline as well."

The Warriors are also poking around another superstar:

For the Warriors, the league-wide inquiry makes sense. Stephen Curry is 36 years old and his window won't stay open forever. The Dubs don't have a true star to pair with him, and the result has been a mediocre 24-24 record, which currently has the team just outside of a Play-In Tournament berth.

And with the San Antonio Spurs obtaining De'Aaron Fox, the race for the final postseason and Play-In Tournament seeds just got all the more congested. The Spurs are currently just 21-25, 12th in the West, but Fox should make them instantly better.

Now, whether the Warriors will succeed in landing another star is another matter entirely.

Last week, it would have been easy to write that there is absolutely zero chance that the Milwaukee Bucks would even consider trading Giannis Antetokounmpo. That is probably still true, but the Dallas Mavericks trading a franchise cornerstone like Luka Dončić—seemingly without him requesting such a move, or even being aware it was a possibility—has forever altered the boundaries of what feels like a feasible potential trade.

Still, the Greek Freak likely isn't going anywhere.

The Los Angeles Lakers, fresh off the shocking acquisition of Dončić, aren't going to trade James. And they couldn't even do so if they wanted unless he signaled a desire to play for the Warriors, given his no-trade clause.

It also seems unlikely that the Philadelphia 76ers will part ways with George after less than a season together. The Sixers have been saddled with significant injuries throughout the 2024-25 season and haven't really seen how the trio of George, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey will fare when healthy. Philly has been bad this season, but the Sixers still have their own championship window with Embiid to consider going forward.

Durant is a fascinating name to consider for two main reasons. One, his reunion with Curry in Golden State would send the NBA world into a tailspin. Just imagine the memes.

But two, if the Phoenix Suns can't find a pathway to improving the team around Durant and Devin Booker because of Bradley Beal's no-trade clause, moving on from Durant and embracing a soft reset might be their best path forward. The Suns are just 25-23 and the West is loaded—is maintaining the status quo really that beneficial?

Still, it feels more likely the team will look to reinforce around Booker and Durant.

Finally, adding a player like Butler probably would have been the most realistic outcome of the names mentioned above if Butler was willing to sign an extension with the team.

That may be a blessing in disguise for the Warriors, however.

Given his questionable fit in Golden State—he and Green are both secondary facilitators who present some floor-spacing concerns on the offensive end—and a history of forcing his way out of franchises in non-amicable manners, he wouldn't have been the best option for the Dubs in their All-Star shopping spree.

If he changes his stance on signing an extension with the team, however, he will be the most realistic option.

If the Dallas Mavericks are willing to deal Luka Dončić, then no trade idea is too outlandish to become a reality.

To that end, NBA insider Jake Fischer reported Monday that the Golden State Warriors are exploring what he described as the "dreamiest of outcomes": acquiring both LeBron James and Kevin Durant.

"That would require quite the masterstroke," Fischer said. "And while pulling that off currently stands as very unlikely, both from a salary-matching and asset valuation standpoint, this is the sort of big-game hunting that has defined these Warriors."

Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints echoed the reporting Golden State contacted the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers about Durant and James respectively. He said the Warriors were "quickly turned down by the Suns" and that "there were no real trade conversations between the Warriors and Lakers."

Ahead of last year's deadline, the Warriors sounded out James' camp to gauge his interest on a move to the Bay Area, only to be rebuffed. It doesn't appear anything has changed on that front.

NBA insider Chris Haynes and the Los Angeles Times' Dan Woike both reported the general belief is the four-time MVP won't press the issue and remains committed to the Lakers with Thursday's deadline fast approaching.

Fischer said in his report the other half of Golden State's two-star formula "does seem plausible." He wrote the Suns continue to say behind the scenes they aren't trading Durant but may have to amend their stance if they're dead set on getting Jimmy Butler.

ESPN's Shams Charania reported Sunday the Suns are still "fully focused" on the disgruntled Miami Heat star. As long as Bradley Beal intends to utilize his no-trade clause, however, Phoenix will have to give up either Durant or Devin Booker in any trade for Butler.

The Warriors are also involved in the race for the six-time All-Star, though their interest has cooled. ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported Golden State is pausing negotiations "for now" after Butler said he wouldn't sign a contract extension there.

General manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. is nothing if not creative. He tried and failed to acquire both Paul George and Lauri Markkanen in the offseason, and now he's leaving no stone unturned as he tries to get the roster to a point where it can contend for a title.

When Jimmy Butler first requested a trade from the Heat, he was "open to playing anywhere other than Miami," but he's since indicated that there are a handful of teams he doesn't want to play for long term.

The Golden State Warriors joined the list on Sunday.

Per ESPN's Brian Windhorst, Butler told the Warriors that he's "unwilling to sign an extension" with them, thus ending trade talks between the two teams "for now."

The Warriors seemed like one of the most likely landing spots for Butler along with the Phoenix Suns. Golden State was such a frontrunner that ESPN's Shams Charania called last week's matchup between the Warriors and the Suns "the Jimmy Butler bowl."

The Warriors, currently in 11th place in the West at 24-24, need to find another scoring option alongside Stephen Curry, but they'll have to find it from someone besides Butler unless he changes his mind about his willingness to sign with Golden State.

In the short term, missing out on Butler could be the difference between competing in the playoffs and missing out this season, but it could work out for Golden State in the long term. With Curry in the late stages of his career, the Warriors will soon need to shift their focus toward the future, and having to trade young players or picks for an aging star such as Butler would not set them up well.

The Warriors aren't the only team to find themselves out of the running for Butler. NBA insider Chris Haynes reported in January that the Memphis Grizzlies "along with a few other teams" have been told not to trade for Butler.

With the Warriors now out of the mix, all signs point to the Suns landing Butler. ESPN's Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst reported last week that Phoenix's "top objective" before the deadline is trading for Butler, and Butler is making it easier by telling teams not to bother making a deal for him.

Time is ticking for the Suns, however, as the trade deadline is now just days away.

The Golden State Warriors were reportedly interested in trading for a pair of Chicago Bulls players before a blockbuster trade on Sunday.

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Warriors "did seriously explore trade constructions" that would have landed them Zach LaVine and Nikola Vučević, but Golden State "opted to focus on other trade pursuits."

LaVine ultimately ended up with the Sacramento Kings as part of a three-team trade that sent De'Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs, per ESPN's Shams Charania.

LaVine, 29, is putting up 24 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game this season and was keeping the Bulls alive in the Eastern Conference playoff race before the trade. Per The Athletic's Anthony Slater and Marcus Thompson, some within the Warriors organization viewed LaVine as the safer option over another potential trade target, the Miami Heat's Jimmy Butler.

Whether Golden State will pivot its focus fully to Butler remains to be seen, but it will at least have to find another option besides LaVine.

The Athletic's Fred Katz, Sam Amick and Eric Nehm reported Sunday that "talks between the Warriors and Bulls regarding Vučević are very real" while noting that Kevon Looney, Gary Payton II and Kyle Anderson were "believed" to be the players that would have been involved on Golden State's side. Katz, Amick and Nehm also reported that "all signs" pointed to Vučević being enthused by the deal.

Vučević, 34, is playing at a high level, putting up 19.9 points and 10.4 rebounds per game this year.

The Warriors might be pivoting away from LaVine and Vučević, but it would be somewhat surprising if they didn't make a move or two ahead of the deadline. Golden State is currently in 11th place in a tough Western Conference at 24-24 and needs to get Stephen Curry some help to make a run at the playoffs.

Butler is an option as the Heat try to find a home for their disgruntled star, but a handful of other available players could present themselves in the coming days.