Golden State has drawn a line in the sand. The Warriors will not trade Draymond Green or Jimmy Butler before the February 6 deadline, no matter how many teams call asking.
The Athletic’s Sam Amick reported that the organization is “staunchly against” moving either veteran, citing team sources. This stance holds firm despite Golden State sitting eighth in the Western Conference at 22-19, just three weeks from a deadline that could determine their season.
The decision eliminates the Warriors’ clearest path to landing a legitimate star. Matching salaries for players like Anthony Davis or Giannis Antetokounmpo would require including either Butler ($54.1 million) or a package built around Green and Jonathan Kuminga ($48.4 million combined). General manager Mike Dunleavy won’t do it.
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The Butler Factor
Butler arrived in Golden State last February after forcing his way out of Miami. The Warriors gave up significant assets to get him, then locked him down with a two-year, $112 million extension running through 2027.
Ten months later, he’s proven worth the investment. The 36-year-old still produces 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists nightly while defending multiple positions. More importantly, he’s changed the team’s mentality. After the trade, Golden State went 23-8 down the stretch to make the playoffs.
Head coach Steve Kerr and Dunleavy have repeatedly stated their belief in the Curry-Butler-Green core. That’s not coachspeak. The Warriors view this group as their best chance to win now, and they’re not breaking it up for theoretical upgrades.
Green Stays Put
Green’s situation differs from Butler’s but reaches the same conclusion. The 14-year Warriors veteran has anchored four championships and remains the team’s defensive coordinator on the floor. His $25.89 million salary makes him useful for matching contracts in trades, but Golden State views him as untouchable.
Multiple rival executives expected the Warriors to at least consider moving Green as part of a bigger deal. They were wrong. Team sources made clear to The Athletic that Green isn’t going anywhere.
The Real Trade Story
While Green and Butler stay, Jonathan Kuminga is leaving. The question is when and for what return.
Kuminga demanded a trade on January 16, the first day his contract allowed it. He hasn’t played since December 18. He’s not injured. Coach Kerr simply removed him from the rotation, and the relationship between player and organization collapsed.
ESPN’s Shams Charania and Anthony Slater reported that “essentially every major figure” in the Warriors’ operation agrees a trade makes sense for everyone. That includes Kuminga, Kerr, the coaching staff, and the veteran players watching a $22.5 million asset sit on the bench.
The timeline of Kuminga’s fall happened fast:
September-October 2025: Warriors and Kuminga go through difficult contract negotiations as a restricted free agent. He signs a two-year, $46.8 million deal with a team option, a structure he told people around him he felt forced to accept.
November 2025: After starting the first 12 games and averaging 17.2 points, Kuminga develops bilateral knee tendinitis. His production drops. Kerr benches him on November 12.
December 2025: Kuminga plays sparingly, then gets removed from the rotation entirely. His last appearance was December 18 against Phoenix, logging just 9:31.
January 2, 2026: Kuminga was scheduled to return when several starters rested against Oklahoma City. He ruled himself out an hour before tipoff with back soreness.
January 16, 2026: First day Kuminga became trade-eligible. He immediately demanded a trade.
ESPN’s Anthony Slater described the situation as a “complete waste of everybody’s time” based on conversations with league sources.
The Trade Market
Sacramento remains the most interested team. The Kings pursued Kuminga during restricted free agency last summer and never stopped wanting him. They’re the frontrunner if a deal happens.
But there’s a problem. HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reported the Kings offered a protected first-round pick last summer. That pick is no longer on the table. Sacramento wants Kuminga without giving up draft capital, which limits what the Warriors can get back.
Other teams have shown interest:
New Orleans Pelicans: Serious interest but waiting to see how the Kings situation plays out before making an offer, according to ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel.
Los Angeles Lakers: Some level of interest exists, per The Athletic, but the two teams haven’t engaged in substantive talks.
Chicago Bulls: Light interest reported by Siegel, well behind Sacramento and New Orleans.
Dallas Mavericks: Reached out to explore Kuminga as part of a potential Anthony Davis trade framework, per Sam Amick. That fell apart when the Warriors refused to include Green or Butler.
League sources told ESPN the Warriors are prioritizing expiring contracts in any Kuminga deal. They don’t want to take on multi-year money unless it represents clear positive value. This approach suggests Golden State wants flexibility for the summer rather than loading up now.
Salary Cap Reality
The Warriors operate under severe financial constraints. They’re hard-capped at the second apron, meaning they cannot take back more salary than they send out in any trade.
This rule kills most blockbuster scenarios. Davis earns $54.1 million this season. To acquire him, Golden State would need to send out at least that much. The only ways to reach that number involve Butler (also $54.1 million) or combining multiple contracts including Green.
Since those options are off limits, the Warriors are limited to smaller moves. They can trade Kuminga ($22.5 million) and potentially package him with Buddy Hield ($9.2 million), who also fell out of the rotation. That gets them to roughly $32 million in outgoing salary.
The team has draft capital available. Sources told ESPN the Warriors would move multiple first-round picks for the right player. They prefer trading their 2026 pick over picks in 2028 and beyond, trying to preserve some future flexibility.
What’s Actually Possible
The Warriors rank 15th in offensive efficiency despite having Stephen Curry and Butler. Their defense sits sixth, but they can’t score consistently enough to beat quality teams. Golden State hasn’t won more than three straight games all season.
Dunleavy needs to add offensive firepower without gutting the roster or taking back long-term salary. That’s a narrow window.
Michael Porter Jr. keeps getting mentioned in rumors, but multiple reporters say there’s nothing imminent. The Nets haven’t made him officially available, and HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reported Golden State remains hesitant about the price.
Trey Murphy III would fit perfectly as a 3-and-D wing, but the Pelicans have told teams he’s not available during the season, according to league sources.
The more realistic targets are role players on expiring deals who can help immediately without mortgaging the future. Names like Nikola Vucevic, Coby White, or Rui Hachimura fit that description, though none move the needle significantly.
The February 6 Deadline Approaches
The Warriors have 17 days to decide if they’re going for it or preparing for next season. Keeping Green and Butler together provides stability but limits their options.
If Kuminga gets moved for expiring contracts and draft picks, Golden State will have flexibility this summer when Curry turns 38 and the championship window narrows further. If they hold him past the deadline, they can decline his team option and let him walk in free agency, clearing the salary entirely.
Either way, the Warriors’ path forward became clearer this week. They’re riding with their veteran core and hoping to find help around the margins. For a franchise that built a dynasty on bold moves, it’s a surprisingly conservative approach to what might be Curry’s last real chance at a title.
The phone lines to San Francisco remain open, but Dunleavy’s message to the other 29 teams is simple: Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler aren’t available at any price.
