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Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks and Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors.

The Golden State Warriors’ 2025-26 season ended early in what has turned out to be a familiar disappointment. 

The second round play-in tournament loss to the Phoenix Suns was a tipping point in what was a generally shambolic season by their standards. 

Golden State finished the regular season at 37-45 and No. 10 in the West and after scratching last season’s second-round stop, they have now missed the playoffs for the second time in three seasons.

The campaign exposed the roster’s limitations around Stephen Curry. Injuries weren’t kind to them either. 

Jimmy Butler, who should have been the next main man after Curry tore his right ACL in January and missed the rest of the season. Curry also dealt with absences and returned just a few games before the close of the regular season.

Warriors Urged to Make Bold Swing on Giannis Antetokounmpo

The Warriors sit firmly in a win-now window. Curry isn’t getting any younger and they have already played all their cards which haven’t worked. But maybe not all of them. 

San Francisco Chronicle reporter Ron Kroichick argued that the Warriors still have contention pieces, but this season’s setbacks made the need for upgrades clear.

“A year ago, the Curry/Draymond Green/Jimmy Butler core made the Warriors a realistic contender; with Curry healthy, I think they would have beaten Minnesota in the playoffs,” Kroichick wrote. “Now, with Butler out at least until January and Green’s performance dropping, the Warriors clearly need more around Curry. They should swing for the moon with [Giannis] Antetokounmpo, given his ability and age (31).”

The call for a transformative addition is coming from a season in which the Golden State didn’t have anything to write home about. The support pieces just weren’t good enough and the Warriors finished as the only postseason franchise with a below .500 winning percentage for the season.

The Warriors’ play-in qualification was thanks in part to them not being worse than those teams below in the standings. That is not the ideal scenario for a team with Curry and Butler,

Speculation around Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has intensified since the deadline. The two-time MVP who turned 31 last December, remains one of the league’s most dominant forces. The Bucks missed the playoffs, snapping a long 10-year postseason streak. 

The tensions and communication issues between Antetokounmpo and the Bucks front office are no longer a secret and reports have indicated that both parties ending their long relationship will be the best outcome.

Trade Feasibility For Golden State

Milwaukee wants to decide Antetokounmpo’s future before the June NBA Draft. The franchise can offer him a four-year extension starting in October. If he declines, he could hit free agency after the 2026-27 season. The Bucks will not want to lose him for free. 

Anyone who wants Antetokounmpo on their roster will be willing to offer a lot. For the Warriors, landing the Greek superstar in the Bay Area would require a massive package. 

The Warriors are in a steep salary-cap zone. They project deep into the luxury tax and second apron territory for next season with commitments to Curry and other veterans limiting flexibility. They would need to shed a large chunk of salary to absorb a max player like Antetokounmpo without triggering harsher restrictions on future moves.

“If that [trading for Antetokounmpo] doesn’t work, then try to package players — Green? Kristaps Porzingis in a sign-and-trade? — and draft picks for an impactful starter,” Kroichick added.

General manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. has shown willingness to be aggressive but the Warriors are among the list of teams eyeing a move for Antetokounmpo. As such, they will have to fend off strong competition.