Warriors may unite Steph Curry with $175 million Finals MVP via Draymond Green, Jonathan Kuminga swap

The Golden State Warriors have notched a commanding 3-1 series lead over the Houston Rockets in their first-round playoff matchup, with the contributions of 4-time NBA champion Stephen Curry and 6-time All-Star Jimmy Butler leading the way for the dynastic organization.

Curry and Butler have become one of the most dangerous tandems in the entire NBA, as they've given the Warriors a puncher's chance at making a magical run to the 2025 NBA Finals as the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference.

While the team surely enjoys their current position, several tough decisions will need to be made in the coming months, especially with the impending restricted free agency of Golden State's Jonathan Kuminga. The 22-year-old forward may be on the move this summer, as he'll likely command a salary in the range of $20-25 million annually. 

The Warriors' general manager Mike Dunleavy could certainly opt to use Kuminga in a sign-and-trade to bring in some win-now talents to help Curry and Butler make another deep postseason run, and recent reports indicate that the storied franchise may look to take a massive swing for the fences by negotiating a blockbuster deal with the Milwaukee Bucks centered around 2-time league MVP and 2021 NBA Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. 

"There are three dark horse teams existing as possible suitors for Giannis should he decide to request a trade in the offseason," ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel wrote Wednesday.

"The Golden State Warriors are first on the list — a team that has long pursued Antetokounmpo and has checked in on virtually every offseason. Even before finalizing a deal for Jimmy Butler this season, the Dubs checked in with the Bucks about their future with Giannis."

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"The only way that Golden State could possibly be in the mix for Giannis without giving up Steph or Jimmy is if they did a sign-and-trade of Jonathan Kuminga in a package that also includes Draymond Green, Moses Moody, and a player like Trayce Jackson-Davis."

In a hypothetical trade scenario, Siegel suggests that the Warriors could offer to send Milwaukee a package consisting of Kuminga, the 2017 Defensive Player of the Year and 4-time NBA champion Green, Moody and Jackson-Davis in a franchise-altering deal that would form a fearsome Big 3 of Curry, Butler and Antetokounmpo in the Bay.

While a deal of this caliber remains highly unlikely, it's hard not to wonder about the level of desperation that the Warriors' front office may feel with regard to building around Curry as he nears the twilight of his illustrious career. 

At just 30 years old, the legendary power forward and future Hall of Fame inductee Antetokounmpo authored one of his greatest seasons yet in 2024-25, as he contributed 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.2 blocks and 0.9 steals for a 48-34 Bucks group that finished with the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference.

By prospectively pairing Curry and Antetokounmpo to create the league’s most fearsome pick-and-roll duo, the Warriors would be positioned to compete for titles for the rest of Curry’s career.

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