Rebuilding a fallen dynasty is tricky, but not impossible. It all depends on Mike Dunleavy Jr.’s next moves. Lately, rumors are swirling that the Warriors are eyeing Zach LaVine and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Oh, and don’t forget Jimmy Butler — his name keeps popping up in trade talks, too (as it should be!). Then, just as things were heating up, the Dubs GM revealed his cards.

Or rather, Mike Dunleavy Jr.’s trade desires came to light, in the latest livestream hosted by Matt Steinmetz and Daryle ‘The Guru’ Johnson for the 95.7 The Game podcast. “We go to making a deal, a small deal. Are they going to buy, or sell? What do you think the way it’s doing before February 6th?” The serious question popped up.

They replied: “I think something gets done. And, I think it’s even possible they throw first in there this year’s versus I think it is possible to be used and protected.” Further analyzing they said: ” I just, cause I think there’s a desire from the front office to shake it up a little bit. To see something different. You know, maybe try a different rotation piece. Reposition a salary.”

Repositioning a salary or two could be a good possibility. Knowing Stephen Curry and Draymond Green’s love for the franchise, they might happily agree to cut some off their paycheck. Meanwhile, playing a different rotation piece doesn’t seem like a bad idea. Giving potential players their chance to shine on the court, for example, the Warriors could give 22-year-old Moses Moody, a $17 million star, more time on the floor.

“Maybe make a little bit of a better mini run this year while also protecting the assets that would allow them to go bigger game hunting this summer. And I do think there’s going to be those types of middle-tier players on the board. Especially if you throw it, if you don’t protect it first round or into the mix. You can get into a lot more conversations.” The only suggestion here is that Mike Dunleavy Jr. needs to be more mindful this time. The Warriors’ front office has to tread the trade market carefully as they are already $36 million over the salary cap threshold.

Speaking of the Warriors and Mike Dunleavy Jr., their pursuit of Jimmy Butler might be officially over. Why? Well, the math is simple, the team lacks the assets to be involved in a bidding war alongside the Phoenix Suns.

Mike Dunleavy Jr. forward silences Jimmy Butler trade talks

The Suns want Jimmy Butler, but the road is anything but smooth. Bradley Beal’s massive contract is a heavy anchor, and no team wants to lift it. To make things worse, Beal isn’t in the mood to waive his no-trade clause just to do Phoenix a favor. Unless something wild happens, this trade feels dead on arrival. Not every team is stuck like the Suns. Mike Dunleavy Jr.’s Warriors might have a shot at Jimmy Butler, but their path isn’t any smoother.

They don’t have a giant contract like Beal’s weighing them down, but that’s not necessarily a good thing. Instead of one clean swap, they’d have to mix and match salaries, turning a simple trade into a complicated puzzle. Draymond Green broke it down on his podcast. “Say you wanna trade for Jimmy with at least the least amount of players that you could on our roster,” he said. “That means either you got to trade Jimmy straight up for Steph. Yeah. Or you have to trade Jimmy for me and Wigs.” In other words, no easy way out.

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Things just got interesting. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst says the Heat has dropped its asking price for Butler after his suspension, throwing the trade door wide open. Now, the Warriors are back in the mix, per Yahoo’s Kevin O’Connor. And why not? They need a second scorer next to Steph, and Butler would make them a serious problem in the West. A Curry-Butler-Draymond trio? That’s a nightmare no team wants in a seven-game series.

Thus, the Warriors want a shake-up, but pulling off a big move won’t be easy. Jimmy Butler? Too pricey. A blockbuster trade? Tricky. But Dunleavy Jr. has options—rework salaries, tweak rotations, or play the long game. Whatever happens, Golden State’s next move could make or break their season.