The Golden State Warriors made a play for Kristaps Porzingis before the Feb 5 trade deadline this year. That’s because the team needed front-court help as they were desperate to move on from Jonathan Kuminga. But now, as Porzingis enters free agency this summer, there is a slight possibility that the Warriors might move on from him. And that’s simply because of an enticing chance of getting Giannis Antetokounmpo or Kawhi Leonard this offseason.

Insider Tim Kawakami shed light on the matter on the Warriors Plus Minus podcast. “He’s much more to me, much more likely to be traded to a team that wants to pay him more than the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, more than $15 million,” Kawakami said. But why would Mike Dunleavy & Co. do that? “So you trade him for a young, kind of athletic player or two of them, and he signs with a new team for $25 million a year.”

Now, of course, there is more to this free agency story. “Before this, I would’ve said they’re going to try to re-sign him for less than $30 million, but they would want to bring him back,” Kawakami added. “You can’t bring him back and go ‘Okay, our frontline is now Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis, Draymond Green.'” According to the insider, that strategy would likely backfire for the Golden State Warriors. “I think we’ve heard that. We heard [the Warriors] agreeing to that essentially,” he concluded.

Draymond Green still holds enough value around the league to command nearly $27 million annually. And that figure sits far above the projected $15M non-taxpayer mid-level exception. Because of that, the Warriors face a brutal decision. If the Golden State Warriors believe this core cannot realistically contend long-term, then moving Draymond for younger, more athletic pieces starts making far more sense than handing out another massive contract.

Around the league, there is already a growing feeling that the franchise quietly understands that reality. Then came the basketball fit, and honestly, the picture looked clunky. A frontcourt featuring Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis, and Draymond Green carries elite IQ and experience. However, today’s NBA relentlessly punishes aging legs.

Horford is nearing 40. Porzingis constantly battles durability concerns while struggling laterally. Meanwhile, Draymond at 6’6″ faces difficult physical matchups as a full-time center. Younger Western Conference teams built on pace, rim pressure, and downhill attacks can expose that trio badly in space.

Financially, the numbers look even more alarming. Draymond projects around $27.6M, while Porziņģis sits near $30.7M. Add Stephen Curry ($122.1 M)  and Jimmy Butler ($110.9 M) contracts into the equation, plus Horford’s veteran salary ($5.6 M), and Golden State suddenly stares at a payroll soaring beyond $232 million.

The Warriors have committed enormous money to an aging, injury-prone core that offers very little athletic upside anymore. Yet they are willing to do it again if it means acquiring Giannis Antetokounmpo or Kawhi Leonard in a blockbuster deal in the 2026 offseason. At 38, Curry is undoubtedly going to face more trouble staying healthy. Let’s not forget that the Warriors stalwart missed two months of action due to a runner’s knee in the 2025-26 season. Meanwhile, Butler will most likely be out of next season after the ACL injury earlier this year. And this is why Golden State needs a superstar.

The Golden State Warriors’ pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kawhi Leonard

Interestingly enough, the Warriors hold the No. 11 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, and that selection carries massive intrigue. Executives across the league view this class as one of the deepest in years. This gives Golden State a rare chance to inject young energy into an aging roster. However, the same pick also sits at the center of nonstop Giannis Antetokounmpo rumors, with the Warriors repeatedly linked as a potential landing spot for the Milwaukee Bucks superstar.

Still, recent signs point toward them protecting that asset instead of throwing it into a blockbuster deal. Mike Dunleavy and Steve Kerr both speak about the No. 11 pick with the kind of excitement teams usually reserve for players they actually plan to keep. Meanwhile, nearly every mock trade still places that selection at the heart of any Antetokounmpo package. Yet the Warriors continue signaling hesitation, even while Giannis trade chatter grows louder around the league.

“The Warriors have that 11th pick, and people wonder like ‘Hey, can they get in the Giannis mix?’ From what I’m being told today, from several people, the Warriors (would) like to keep that pick,” insider Marc Spears said.

Meanwhile, the Bleacher Report’s 4-team mock trade brings Kawhi Leonard to the Bay. This wild proposal completely reshapes the NBA landscape. The Golden State Warriors walk away with Kawhi Leonard and Bradley Beal. And the Los Angeles Clippers grab Jimmy Butler and the No. 1 pick. Meanwhile, the Washington Wizards settle for the No. 3 selection plus Indiana’s 2029 first-rounder via LAC, and the Memphis Grizzlies land picks No. 5 and No. 11.

However, the deal asks two rebuilding teams to slide down in a draft loaded with elite talent like Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson, which makes the scenario incredibly difficult to pull off. Still, Golden State benefits massively if the impossible somehow becomes reality. Kawhi Leonard replaces Butler while bringing elite scoring and high-level defense after arguably the strongest offensive season of his career. Bradley Beal adds another offensive weapon despite missing most of the year after suffering a broken hip.

Giannis Antetokounmpo remains the Warriors’ dream target. But if another contender wins that sweepstakes, Kawhi Leonard becomes a terrifying fallback plan. Amidst the trade speculations, the Golden State might give up its All-Star center, Kristaps Porzingis. And they’d do it within a blink if it means they can acquire either of the superstars. At this point, the Dubs front office would go to any extent to help Stephen Curry’s 5th ring dreams. However, their financial crunch could be the ultimate roadblock.