As the 2025-26 NBA trade deadline barrels toward Thursday, the league is holding its collective breath-and no team is drawing more attention right now than the Golden State Warriors. With the clock ticking, the question on everyone’s mind is whether the seven-time champs will make the kind of seismic move that reshapes the title race and redefines the twilight of Stephen Curry’s legendary career.
At the center of the buzz? A bold, blockbuster proposal that would bring two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Bay Area.
The proposed deal, floated by ESPN’s Kevin Pelton, imagines the Warriors swinging big-sending out a package built around youth, draft capital, and an expiring contract to land Antetokounmpo and Myles Turner. The trade would reportedly include Brandin Podziemski, Jonathan Kuminga, Jimmy Butler, four future first-round picks, and a pick swap, with the Bucks sending back Antetokounmpo and Turner.
Let’s unpack that.
First, the Warriors would be parting with two of their most promising young players in Podziemski and Kuminga. Podziemski has shown flashes of being a high-IQ playmaker with a smooth shooting stroke, while Kuminga-who has reportedly requested a trade-offers elite athleticism and defensive upside. Both represent potential building blocks for the post-Curry era.
Then there’s Butler. Though currently sidelined for the season with an ACL tear, Butler’s contract becomes a valuable expiring next year, offering salary-matching flexibility and potential trade value down the line. The inclusion of four first-round picks and a swap underscores just how all-in Golden State would be going in this scenario.
In return, they’d get Giannis-a generational talent, a two-time MVP, NBA champion, and one of the most dominant two-way forces the league has ever seen. Even with his recent calf injury, Antetokounmpo remains a top-tier difference-maker who can tilt the balance of power in the Western Conference overnight. Pairing him with Curry wouldn’t just be a splash-it would be a tidal wave.
Myles Turner, meanwhile, would bring rim protection, floor spacing, and veteran savvy to a Warriors frontcourt that already includes Draymond Green and Al Horford. Yes, it would be a crowded rotation, but this is the kind of problem head coaches like Steve Kerr dream about. With Giannis and Turner in the mix, Golden State could deploy a variety of versatile looks-switch-heavy lineups, stretch-five sets, and even twin-tower defensive schemes-all while managing minutes for their aging core.
But make no mistake: a move this massive would come with enormous pressure.
If the Warriors were to give up two young contributors, a veteran star, and a treasure trove of draft picks, the expectation wouldn’t just be to contend-it would be to win. Anything short of a championship would raise serious questions about mortgaging the future for a short-term push. And with Curry still playing at an elite level but undeniably in the back half of his career, the window is closing.
This is the type of swing that defines an era. Bringing Giannis to Golden State would be about more than just adding talent-it would be a statement of intent.
It would be the front office saying, “We’re not done yet.” It would be about giving Curry one last, real shot at ring number five.
And if it happens? The rest of the league better be ready. Because a Warriors team built around Curry and Giannis wouldn’t just be dangerous-it could be downright terrifying.