The Warriors can’t waste another Stephen Curry season by making small moves.
They finished 37-45, took the No. 10 seed in the West, and were eliminated by the Suns in the Play-In Tournament. Curry still averaged 26.6 points, but he is now 38 years old. Jimmy Butler is 37 and coming back from a torn ACL. Draymond Green is 36. This roster doesn’t have five years to slowly develop another group.
The front office also has the No. 11 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. That selection gives them one affordable young player for the next four seasons. But they still should use later assets to explore potential trades for a win-now move.
Myles Turner and Dillon Brooks aren’t superstars, but they would fix two direct problems. Turner gives the Warriors a starting center who protects the rim and shoots threes. Brooks adds size, defense, scoring, and someone who can take the hardest perimeter matchup.
Getting both players would require a complicated three-team trade with the Bucks and Suns. Kristaps Porzingis would also need to agree to a new contract with the Warriors before being sent to the Suns.
This is only a mock framework, but the salaries can get close enough to make it possible.
Trade Proposal
Golden State Warriors Receive: Myles Turner, Dillon Brooks
Milwaukee Bucks Receive: Moses Moody, Gui Santos, Royce O’Neale, 2028 first-round pick from Warriors, 2032 first-round pick from Warriors
Phoenix Suns Receive: Kristaps Porzingis
Why The Warriors Could Make This Trade
The Warriors need more size, defense, and reliable production. They had too many games where Curry had to create almost everything while the rest of the offense became slow. Kristaps Porzingis was supposed to help fix that, but he played only 32 games and averaged 16.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists.
Porzingis also shot only 44.6% from the field and 33.8% from three. Those numbers weren’t terrible, but they weren’t enough for a player who had major physical problems again. He was limited to 24.0 minutes per game and never became a stable part of the main lineup.
Myles Turner would be a more dependable center. He played 71 games for the Bucks and averaged 11.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks. His scoring dropped from previous seasons, but he still made 38.3% from three on 5.4 attempts per game.
Turner doesn’t need the ball much. He can set a screen for Curry, move outside the arc, and force the opposing center to leave the paint. If the defender stays near the rim, Turner can get open threes. If the defender follows him, Curry gets more room to drive or use his floater.
The defensive fit is also easy. Turner has averaged 2.1 blocks across his career and has led the NBA in blocks twice. Green can defend forwards and organize the defense while Turner stays closer to the basket. That is a more normal frontcourt structure than asking Green to battle against full-time centers every night.
Dillon Brooks would give the Warriors something different. He averaged a career-high 20.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists for the Suns. He shot 43.5% from the field and handled a much larger offensive role than he had with the Rockets or Grizzlies.
Brooks isn’t always efficient, and he can take some ugly shots. Still, the Warriors need another player who isn’t scared to shoot. Curry can’t be the only player willing to attack when the offense stops working. Brooks scored 30 points in Game 2 and 33 points in Game 3 against the Thunder during the playoffs.
His main value would still come on defense. Brooks can guard strong wings, physical guards, and some smaller power forwards. That allows Butler to take easier assignments after his ACL injury and saves Green for help defense.
The cost is serious. Moses Moody averaged 12.1 points and shot 44.0% from the field before tearing his left patellar tendon. Gui Santos also took a real step, averaging 9.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists on 50.0% from the field.
The Warriors would also give up unprotected first-round picks in 2028 and 2032. Those picks could become valuable because Curry, Butler, and Green are already old. The Bucks would be betting that the Warriors fall apart later.
Still, Curry’s timeline is the only one that should control this decision. The Warriors would keep the No. 11 pick, Brandin Podziemski, and their other important contracts. They would turn Porzingis, two injured or young rotation players, and two future picks into two starters.
A lineup with Curry, Brooks, Butler, Green, and Turner would be old, but it would also be big, physical, and difficult to score against. The Warriors aren’t building for 2032. They are trying to give Curry one more real chance.
Why The Bucks Could Accept This Return
This trade only makes sense for the Bucks if they are changing direction.
They finished 32-50 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016. Giannis Antetokounmpo also played only 36 games because of injuries, and there is now major doubt about whether he will remain with the franchise.
If Giannis leaves, keeping Myles Turner doesn’t help much. Turner is already 30 and will make $26.6 million next season, $27.9 million in 2027-28, and $29.1 million through a player option in 2028-29. He was signed to help a contender, not to lead a rebuild.
The Bucks also didn’t get the season they expected from him. Turner averaged 11.9 points, his lowest scoring figure since 2019-20, while collecting only 5.3 rebounds. He remained useful as a shooter and rim protector, but he wasn’t close to becoming a real second option behind Giannis.
This proposal would turn Turner into two younger players, a useful veteran, and two future first-round picks.
Moses Moody is the main player in the return. He is 24 and under contract for $12.5 million in each of the next two seasons. Before his knee injury, he averaged 12.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists. He also had several games where he looked ready for a larger offensive role.
The injury is a major problem. A torn patellar tendon is one of the worst injuries for a basketball player, so the Bucks can’t expect Moody to return quickly or immediately look like the same player. That risk is also why the Warriors would need to include both first-round picks.
Gui Santos is owed $4.6 million in 2026-27, with another season and a player option after that. His contract is cheap enough for a rebuilding team, and he is still only 24. He probably isn’t a future star, but he could become a solid rotation forward.
Royce O’Neale would give the Bucks a veteran they could keep or trade again. He averaged 9.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.7 assists for the Suns. His $10.9 million salary is also easy to move at the deadline if another contender needs shooting and wing depth.
The real value would be the picks. The 2028 first-round pick is close enough to help the rebuild soon. The 2032 first-round pick is the bigger gamble because Curry will be 44 by then and almost certainly won’t be playing.
The Bucks would hope that the Warriors are one of the worst teams in the league by 2032. An unprotected pick that far away can become a top-five selection very fast if the older roster declines and the franchise can’t find another star.
The Bucks would receive around $28.0 million in salary while sending out Turner’s $26.6 million. That difference is manageable if the Bucks stay under the first apron, which should be possible in a rebuild.
They may ask for the No. 11 pick instead of one of the future selections. The Warriors shouldn’t include it. Two unprotected first-round picks, Moody, Santos, and O’Neale are already a strong return for a center coming off a disappointing season.
For the Bucks, the idea is simple. They wouldn’t be trading Turner because he is useless. They would be changing one veteran into four separate assets before his contract becomes harder to move.
Why The Suns Decide To Take Part In The Trade
The Suns are the most difficult team to convince because Dillon Brooks had a very good season.
They finished 45-37, took the No. 7 seed, eliminated the Warriors from the Play-In Tournament, and then lost to the Thunder in four games. Brooks became an important scorer and defender in his first season with the team. Moving him after one season would be a real risk.
Still, the Suns have a frontcourt problem. Mark Williams is a restricted free agent, and his next contract could become expensive for what the Suns can offer in free agency. Khaman Maluach is only 20 and probably isn’t ready to become the full-time starting center for a playoff team.
Kristaps Porzingis would give the Suns a different type of big man next to Devin Booker. He can shoot from three, score in the post against smaller defenders, and protect the rim. Booker would finally have a center who can pull defenders away from the basket.
Porzingis averaged 16.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.2 blocks this season. His 33.8% three-point shooting was poor by his normal level, but he made 41.2% from three in 2024-25. The Suns would be betting on a healthier season and a return toward that level.
A Booker and Porzingis pick-and-pop would be difficult to defend. If the center drops, Booker gets his mid-range shot. If the center comes higher, Porzingis can pop outside. If the defense switches, Porzingis can attack a smaller player inside.
The Suns would send Brooks and Royce O’Neale, who combine for around $31.9 million next season. Porzingis could sign a three-year, $96.0 million contract starting at around $30.5 million, so the salary side would fit.
The Suns would lose two useful forwards. O’Neale averaged 9.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.7 assists while appearing in 78 games. He also gave them another defender and high-volume three-point shooter off the bench.
That would place more pressure on Ryan Dunn, Grayson Allen, and the younger wings. The Suns would need Dunn to take a bigger defensive role because Porzingis can’t replace what Brooks did against elite perimeter scorers.
There is also the injury problem. Porzingis played only 32 games this season and has reached 60 games only once since 2017-18. Giving him a three-year contract would be a huge medical bet.
The reason to consider it is position value. Good wings are important, but the Suns have several players who can cover some of those minutes. They don’t have another center who can block shots and make five threes in the same game.
Acquiring Porzingis through a sign-and-trade would hard-cap the Suns at the first apron. That sounds scary, but they would send out slightly more salary than they receive. They would still need to be careful with the Mark Williams decision and every other signing.
They shouldn’t make this trade without a complete medical review. If Porzingis is healthy, the basketball fit next to Booker is easy to see. If he isn’t, the Suns would have traded one of their most productive players for another expensive contract that spends too much time off the floor.
Could The Trade Actually Work?
The basic salary structure can work, but a few things have to happen.
Kristaps Porzingis would need to agree to a contract of at least three seasons because that is required for a sign-and-trade. A three-year, $96.0 million deal starting at around $30.5 million would put the salary numbers in the correct range.
The Warriors would send approximately $47.6 million between Porzingis, Moody, and Santos. They would receive approximately the same amount between Turner and Brooks.
The Suns would send around $31.9 million between Brooks and O’Neale while receiving Porzingis at around $30.5 million. Because they are acquiring a sign-and-traded player, they couldn’t finish above the first apron.
The Bucks would send Turner’s $26.6 million and receive around $28.0 million between Moody, Santos, and O’Neale. That amount can fit if they stay below the first apron after the transaction.
The trade isn’t simple, and it isn’t guaranteed to be approved with every possible contract decision. The exact numbers would depend on the final 2026-27 apron levels, player options, and Porzingis’ first-year salary.
As a general offseason framework, it is realistic. The Warriors get two starters, the Bucks get young players and future picks, and the Suns exchange two forwards for a starting center.
