The Golden State Warriors are finally shutting a two-year-long saga. And this likely (and unfortunately) even shuts down the Stephen Curry-Giannis Antetokounmpo duo fantasy. In a deadline-day frenzy that has completely reshaped the Western Conference, the Warriors have shifted their championship strategy by giving Jonathan Kuminga half of what he wanted. An exit out of Steve Kerr’s rotation. It was just not what we expected. He can thank the Lakers for that.

Shams Charania reported that the Golden State Warriors are trading Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to the Atlanta Hawks. They get Kristaps Porzingis in return and presumably retain their vast draft capital. This entire transaction was enabled by a secondary trade.

The Dubs have also sent Trayce Jackson-Davis to the Toronto Raptors, also confirmed by Charania. In return, they have a 2026 second-round pick via the Lakers. Not only does it signal that the team is going to heavily rely on veteran Al Horford instead of the young center, the Warriors also get a significant boost to roster reconstruction.

This seems like a ‘plan B’ after the long publicized pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo ended in a stalemate with the Bucks. By gaining the Lakers’ draft pick, Mike Dunleavy Jr. can fill in the necessary roster spots and have cap flexibility to integrate Porzingis.

Shipping Kuminga and Hield signals an end to the Dubs’ “two timelines” era while Moses Moody is the last piece of that long-term strategy on the roster. Losing Jimmy Butler to a season-ending ACL tear, Stephen Curry’s flared knee, and a rapidly decimating roster has changed Dunleavy’s stance on preserving the future draft picks and bolstering the perimeter of the current lineup.

Yet the initial reaction to the news has been more of a headscratcher. Almost no one could’ve predicted a deal with the Hawks for Kuminga.

Giannis Antetokoumpo alters Warriors’ timeline

Dub Nation had been grown indifferent to the Warriors’ strategy to use their draft picks on the post-Curry era talent. The criticism on this strategy was starting to increase as the Jonathan Kuminga stalemate raged on. They wanted a superstar like Giannis Antetokounmpo to maximize Steph Curry’s potential right now.

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The Warriors have leaned on the most unlikely source to facilitate a strategic shift: The Los Angeles Lakers. The aggressive move comes just hours after reports surfaced that Antetokounmpo was no longer enamored with a move to the Bay Area. The Miami Heat and Minnesota Timberwolves are now the biggest contenders in the Giannis sweepstakes.

Sacramento was one of the top landing spots for Kuminga alone. Others thought he’d land in Milwaukee, possibly with Moody and Jimmy Butler to get Giannis Antetokounmpo. The non-cynics believed Mike Dunleavy would not make a single trade move. But he found a way to balance the roster without compromising on their 2026 draft assets.

The Atlanta Hawks are in a rebuild after sending Trae Young to Washington, who just acquired Anthony Davis. They needed a wing and had a few expiring contracts to trade away. By bringing in the 7’3″ Unicorn, the Warriors are adding perimeter gravity. Meanwhile, the Hawks are getting younger talent with longterm futures.