With Giannis Antetokounmpo on the trade block, there’s huge anticipation heading into the deadline later this week and one of the teams he’s been most heavily linked with is the Golden State Warriors. However, it’s also reported that the Warriors would have to part ways with their franchise legend Draymond Green and it was believed that Green was willing to go.
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There’s a crisis at the Warriors. Things were clicking, and they were looking like they could make a post-season run before Jimmy Butler tore his ACL and got ruled out for at-least a year. The Dubs don’t want an exceptional Stephen Curry season to go to waste, which is why Giannis’ addition looks like something they have to focus on.
Butler and Green could be among the players the Warriors would be willing to move in a bid to land Giannis. In a fictitious scenario shared with ClutchPoints, a rival league executive suggested that Green could return to Golden State the following season by exercising his player option and re-signing in free agency. The executive claimed it’s a deal the future Hall of Fame defender might consider. But like many reports, its been proved false.
When Green heard that the media felt he was down for the move, he responded in the only way he could — with a ton of laughing emojis and this sentence: “Who’s the source?”
— warriorsworld (@warriorsworld) February 3, 2026
The situation remains messy. The narrative around Giannis’ preferred destination seems to shift by the moment, and this latest Draymond wrinkle could simply be a misinterpreted detail in an already murky discussion. Adding to the uncertainty, new reports suggest Golden State may not even be where the Greek Freak wants to land.
Insider Jake Fischer has heard from sources that “Antetokounmpo could be turned off by the idea of joining an older team and/or facing the sort of criticism that Kevin Durant continues to absorb to this day about teaming up with Curry.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo could be turned off by joining an older team like the Golden State Warriors and facing the same criticism Kevin Durant did for playing in Stephen Curry’s shadow, per @JakeLFischer
“League sources say that Golden State is aware of recent rumblings that… pic.twitter.com/6kYVnie5yD
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 3, 2026
At some point, the Giannis rumors say more about the league than they do about the former MVP. Every superstar who hits a rough patch gets turned into trade bait, because the NBA runs on drama as much as it does on jumpers. The reality is that Giannis still controls this story. His loyalty is proven, and his prime is far too valuable to rush into a legacy move that doesn’t feel right.
If Milwaukee gives him a real path to contention, he could stay and be a lifer. If not, the list of suitors will be endless. Either way, this feels less like an imminent decision and more like one that will define the league’s next era when it finally arrives.
