As the NBA trade deadline creeps closer, the Golden State Warriors find themselves at a familiar but high-stakes crossroads - juggling the demands of the present while keeping one eye on the future. After standing pat this past offseason, it looks like the front office is preparing to make some noise ahead of the February 6 deadline. And this time, the decision-making circle is getting even tighter, with team owner Joe Lacob reportedly stepping directly into the mix.
According to reports, Lacob is expected to take a hands-on role in evaluating trade options involving a particularly sensitive asset: the Warriors’ future first-round draft picks - specifically those in the “post-Stephen Curry era.” These are the kind of long-term chips that teams typically guard closely, especially when a generational talent like Curry is nearing the twilight of his career.
Curry, now in his 17th season and still the heartbeat of the franchise, has delivered four championships and helped turn Golden State into one of the league’s premier destinations. But the calendar keeps moving, and the reality is that by the early 2030s, the Warriors could be navigating life without their iconic No.
- That’s why their 2031 and 2032 first-round picks - which they still own - are drawing so much attention.
Other teams see those as potential goldmines, especially if the post-Curry rebuild hits hard.
The Warriors are weighing whether to use those future picks as trade bait to maximize what they can still squeeze out of their current core. And based on the way things are shaping up, it’s clear they’re not ruling out a major move.
Golden State has been linked to big names throughout the year, and they already made a splash last trade cycle by landing Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat. That move gave them a dynamic one-two punch with Curry and Butler - a pairing that brought a new level of firepower and edge to the roster.
It also signaled that the Warriors aren’t content to just ride out the Curry era quietly. They want to contend.
Now.
More recently, rumors have swirled around the possibility of Giannis Antetokounmpo joining the Bay Area. That’s the kind of blockbuster that would shake up the entire league, but it would also come with a steep price tag. Milwaukee isn’t likely to part with their franchise cornerstone without demanding significant draft capital in return - and that’s where those 2031 and 2032 picks come back into play.
Meanwhile, on the trade rumor front, there’s growing chatter that Buddy Hield could be on his way out. Hield, who joined the Warriors in the 2024 offseason, has struggled to carve out a consistent role and is logging a career-low in minutes. Despite building chemistry with Butler and the rest of the locker room, Hield hasn’t quite become the high-volume sharpshooter Golden State hoped he’d be - especially when comparisons to the Klay Thompson days still linger.
Reports indicate the Warriors are actively shopping Hield, and his contract - when packaged with Jonathan Kuminga’s - amounts to $31.7 million in salary-matching power. That kind of financial flexibility could be key if Golden State is eyeing a bigger fish before the deadline.
The bottom line? The Warriors are at a pivot point. They’ve got an aging superstar still capable of elite play, a fanbase that expects to compete, and a front office - now with Lacob more involved than ever - weighing whether to push more chips in or hold tight to their future assets.
It’s a delicate balance, but one thing’s clear: Golden State isn’t just thinking about this season. They’re thinking about legacy, transition, and what comes after the Curry era. And that makes every move between now and February 6 worth watching closely.