In one of the boldest trade hypotheticals yet proposed this offseason, ESPN’s Zachary Kram has cooked up a four-team blockbuster that would send shockwaves through the NBA landscape.
The headline? Two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo lands with the Golden State Warriors, while Draymond Green reunites with LeBron James on the Los Angeles Lakers.
Here’s how the trade breaks down:
Golden State Warriors Receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Draymond Green, Daniel Gafford
Dallas Mavericks Receive: Gabe Vincent, 2031 Los Angeles Lakers first-round pick, 2025 No. 41 pick
Milwaukee Bucks Receive: Austin Reaves, Brandin Podziemski, Jonathan Kuminga, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Maxi Kleber, 2029 Golden State Warriors first-round pick, 2031 Golden State Warriors first-round pick, 2030 Los Angeles Lakers first-round pick swap
The Warriors Form A New Big 3
The proposal is equal parts audacious and strategic. For the Warriors, this would be the ultimate win-now move, sacrificing depth and young assets to create a superstar trio of Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
After their February acquisition of Butler, Golden State appears committed to maximizing the final years of Curry’s career. Giannis would give them the league’s most athletic defensive anchor and unstoppable interior force.
Golden State has long been connected to stars, and with Jonathan Kuminga’s future uncertain, the team could look to offload him in a package that completely resets their ceiling. Pairing Giannis with Butler’s fire and Curry’s offensive gravity would make the Warriors instant title favorites again.
The Lakers Get Two Defensive Pieces And Solve Their Center Issues
The Lakers, meanwhile, would make a decisive shift toward balance. By parting ways with Austin Reaves, they’d add two strong defensive pieces in Draymond Green and Daniel Gafford. Green has long been linked to LeBron James, and this move would finally pair them on the same squad.
Gafford, a proven rim protector and lob threat, would give Luka Doncic a complementary frontcourt partner and allow JJ Redick’s system to emphasize pick-and-roll spacing and defensive structure.
The Mavericks Get A Backup Point Guard
For Dallas, the deal is about value. With Kyrie Irving expected to miss a large portion of the 2025-26 season after tearing his ACL, the Mavericks gain an experienced ball-handler in Gabe Vincent and two future picks.
While Gafford is a useful piece, the Mavericks can afford to part with him, especially with Dereck Lively II emerging as a long-term anchor.
The Bucks Get A Big Haul If They Decide To Move On
The Milwaukee Bucks are the biggest question mark. Though Giannis has not formally requested a trade, speculation about his future has only intensified in recent seasons. For the first time in his career, Antetokounmpo had reportedly been open to at least listening to pitches from other teams, signaling a potential shift in his long-term outlook.
However, those rumors have significantly cooled in recent weeks. According to multiple insiders, Giannis has expressed a renewed desire to stay in Milwaukee, and the Bucks remain fully committed to building around him, even with their limited draft assets and cap flexibility.
If a deal were to ever materialize, this proposal gives Milwaukee a well-rounded return: Reaves offers backcourt scoring and playmaking; Kuminga and Jackson-Davis bring defensive versatility and youth; Kleber is a stretch big; and the Bucks would be flush with future draft capital to kickstart a rebuild or retool around another star.
Still, as things stand, Milwaukee has no plans to entertain offers unless Antetokounmpo explicitly demands out, and by all current accounts, he’s content staying and competing with the only franchise he’s ever known.
Whether or not this blockbuster sees daylight, it reflects the tense equilibrium around the NBA’s superstars. One Giannis move could tip the balance of power for years. And for the Warriors and Lakers, two of the league’s biggest brands, the stakes are now higher than ever.
