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Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks congratulates Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors after the Warriors beat the Bucks at Chase Center on January 07, 2026 in San Francisco, California.

The NBA draft lottery has come and gone and various NBA franchises now know where they stand heading into the 2026 draft. 

For the Golden State Warriors, they narrowly missed out on a top 10 pick, landing the No. 11 pick. Still, it doesn’t look so bad, but the biggest question heading into draft night in June would be what they do with that pick.

That decision is up to Joe Lacob and the Warriors front office crew. However, the idea won’t be a secret as it has been evident for years now. Stephen Curry is entering the final years of his career and Golden State is in a win-now window. 

They haven’t succeeded yet in posing contention ambition in recent years, but this draft pick provides a way out. If they play their cards right.

Warriors Open To Swap Draft Pick For Antetokounmpo 

The Warriors like many other franchises will be busy this offseason. What will be on their mind is to equip the roster with another big-name star to complement Curry.

According to ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel, the Warriors are open to entertaining a blockbuster move for Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.

“Still, pursuing a trade for a big-name star remains extremely relevant for owner Joe Lacob and the Warriors, and there have been no shortage of talks regarding Giannis and the Warriors among rival teams,” Siegel reported. “Many fully expect Lacob and his front office to package this No. 11 pick with other future assets to try and convince the Bucks to trade them Antetokounmpo.”

Talks around Antetokounmpo and the Warriors have been standing on some legs in the past months. Ever since the idea broke that the Bucks were willing to trade their franchise cornerstone, Golden State was among the early suitors.  Though no deal materialized before the February trade deadline.

A move for Antetokounmpo was always going to require a massive haul, which explains why the Bucks held firm through the deadline. That No. 11 pick could be a valuable asset and the Warriors are reportedly willing to offer that and add other unprotected first-rounders stretching into 2030. 

Warriors Will Face Trade Headache This Offseason

GettyGolden State Warriors Head coach Steve Kerr

Trading for Antetokounmpo sounds sweet to the ears and pleasing to the potential of seeing a Greek superstar share the floor with Curry. However, the business of bringing the 31-year-old Bucks star to the Bay Area is not a cakewalk deal.

Aside from the assets and future assets the Warriors must give up, the franchise’s situation is complex. They pay some of the highest salaries in the league and sit deep in the second apron, limiting flexibility under the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement. 

Jimmy Butler was brought into the fold last year which increased the salary obligations. Butler is not expected back for the start of next season and well into it as he recovers from a torn ACL he suffered in January. As such, the Warriors are in urgent need of another big-name superstar.

But the tricky part is that they have Curry, they probably can’t trade Butler at the moment because he is injured, and it is unlikely they trade Draymond Green as well. This realistically leaves no room to add a player like Antetokounmpo to the wage cap.

The financial implications don’t favor Golden State, however, stranger trades have taken place in the NBA.