The Golden State Warriors are stuck in the worst place you can be in December, good enough to tease, messy enough to panic. They’re 13-14 through 27 games, sitting 8th in the West, and the season has already turned into a weekly identity crisis.
The instability is the story. Steve Kerr has already used 15 different starting lineups, with injuries and inconsistent role production forcing constant rotation roulette.
Even when Stephen Curry goes full superhero, like the 48-point, 12-three night against the Trail Blazers, the Warriors still walked out with a 136-131 loss.
With the trade deadline looming, the front office has to decide what’s sacred and what’s expendable. So let’s rank the entire roster into buckets: the two untouchable stars, the Draymond Green situation, and every player who could realistically be moved.
Untouchable Stars
Stephen Curry
Steph Curry is still the entire engine. He’s putting up 29.6 points per game, shooting 48.4% from the field, and he’s at 41.2% from three this season. And we just saw him drop 48 with 12 threes against the Trail Blazers, basically screaming, “I’m not done yet.”
Jimmy Butler
Jimmy Butler also lands in the untouchable bucket because the Warriors didn’t bring him in to “see what happens.” He’s giving them 19.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 51.0% from the field, and he’s one of the only guys on the roster who can create something out of nothing when teams load up on Curry.
Draymond Green’s Potential Trade
Draymond Green
This is where the whole trade conversation gets spicy, because the reporting basically draws a hard line: Jake Fischer has said the only player the Warriors would actually be willing to move Draymond for is Giannis Antetokounmpo.
That doesn’t mean a Giannis deal is realistic tomorrow. It means the Warriors still view Draymond Green as core DNA, even with all the chaos, and they’re not flipping him for a “good player.” They only do it if it’s a franchise-altering monster.
On the court, Draymond’s stat line looks modest: 8.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 39.4% from the field, but the Warriors’ identity still runs through him defensively and emotionally. If he ever gets moved, it’s because the Warriors decided to blow the roof off the building, not because they want a different role player mix.
Draymond’s contract matters in any real scenario: he’s at $25.8 million, which is a matching-salary slot for a blockbuster framework.
As for the Giannis angle, the problem is the other side of the equation. Recent statements from Doc Rivers indicate the Bucks are focused on upgrading around Giannis and aren’t entertaining trade offers unless Giannis explicitly asks out, so the “Draymond for Giannis” idea lives in the super-low-probability bucket right now.
And even if that door ever cracks open, it almost certainly wouldn’t be Draymond alone, it would be Draymond plus the Warriors’ best young pieces and premium draft capital to even get the Bucks to stay on the phone.
Players Who Could Be Traded
Jonathan Kuminga
If the Warriors do anything meaningful, Jonathan Kuminga sits at the center of it. Steve Kerr has already publicly acknowledged the “here or somewhere else” reality, and Kuminga becomes trade-eligible on January 15. He’s at 12.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 43.8% from the field, and the messy part is the fit more than the talent.
Kuminga’s contract is what makes him the Warriors’ cleanest “big swing” chip: he’s on $22.5 million for 2025-26 after signing a two-year, $48.5 million deal, and ESPN has already noted Golden State will discuss trades once he becomes eligible.
That salary slot is large enough to headline real conversations without forcing the Warriors to gut the roster, and it also matches the reporting that any serious upgrade likely starts with Kuminga’s number.
One framework that keeps popping up is a wing upgrade built around New Orleans Pelicans interest/fit conversations, with Kuminga as the centerpiece and draft capital layered in, especially with the Trey Murphy III link getting traction in recent buzz.
Brandin Podziemski
Brandin Podziemski is one of the easier young guards to sell in trade talks because he already plays like a real rotation piece, he rebounds well for his position, makes quick reads, and competes defensively. For the Warriors this season, he’s averaging 12.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.2 assists, shooting 44.2% from the field.
Podziemski’s appeal in trade talks is that he’s productive on a tiny number: he’s at $3.6 million in 2025-26, so he’s the kind of “cheap value” guard teams love when they’re retooling or trying to stay flexible.
That’s why he matters; even if he’s not the headline piece, he’s the sweetener that can get a deal across the finish line when the other team wants a real young rotation player back. If the Warriors aim higher, Podziemski also works as the type of add-on teams demand next to Kuminga and picks, because the contract is easy to absorb and the player is easy to sell.
Moses Moody
Moses Moody is the kind of wing teams ask about because he plays hard, defends, and can hit shots when he’s in rhythm. He’s averaging 11.6 points and shooting 41.6% from the field, which makes him a believable “rotation piece who pops in the right environment” trade chip.
Moody is one of the Warriors’ most practical matching contracts because he’s at $11.5 million in 2025-26, which lets Golden State stack salaries without touching the two-star core.
In real terms, that means Moody plus Kuminga gets you to roughly $34.1 million outgoing before you even talk about additional pieces, which is the range where “real” starters and near-star money start living.
And from the other side, Moody has the kind of profile teams buy into, a young wing who can play minutes now, which is exactly why he shows up in bigger frameworks when the Warriors start chasing upgrades.
Buddy Hield
Buddy Hield’s value is simple and always stays in demand, shooting gravity. He’s at 8.0 points per game on 41.2% from the field, and if a contender wants a quick-fix floor spacer, he’s one of the easier names to sell in a package.
De’Anthony Melton
Melton fits the “defense-first guard who can swing a playoff matchup” mold, even if the offense comes and goes. He’s averaging 9.0 points with 1.5 assists, but he’s at 35.5% from the field, so the selling point in talks is more about pressure defense than box-score scoring.
Al Horford
Al Horford is basically the veteran connector piece, the guy who can calm lineups down, talk on defense, and keep the frontcourt functional. The production has been light, 5.6 points and 4.4 rebounds on 32.1% from the field, so any trade value comes from trust, experience, and salary structure more than current numbers.
Trayce Jackson-Davis
Jackson-Davis is a developmental big who gives the Warriors rim-running and energy minutes. He’s at 4.6 points and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 56.6% from the field, and that efficiency is what makes him interesting as a low-cost add-on in a larger deal.
Quinten Post
Post is the “modern big” lottery ticket, a big body who can stretch the floor and survive in rotation minutes. He’s averaging 7.8 points and 4.0 rebounds on 44.1% from the field, and if a team believes in his shooting long-term, he’s the type that can quietly boost a return.
Gary Payton II
Payton’s offense doesn’t drive anything, but his defense absolutely can. He’s at 3.9 points and 2.9 rebounds, shooting 47.8% from the field, and his value in trade talks is that “put him on their best guard for 18 minutes” role that playoff teams always hunt.
Gui Santos
Santos is more of a depth-wing flyer than a centerpiece in any conversation. He’s averaging 3.2 points and 1.9 rebounds on 40.0% from the field, and he mostly works as a small sweetener if the Warriors need to balance value across a bigger package.
Seth Curry
Seth’s role is clean, bench shooting and instant spacing when the offense stalls. He’s at 7.0 points and 1.5 assists while shooting 66.7% from the field so far, which screams small sample, but it also highlights what he’s there for: buckets in short bursts.
Pat Spencer
Pat Spencer has turned into a real rotation guard for the Warriors because he plays with pace and makes quick decisions. He’s averaging 7.4 points and 3.2 assists on 45.4% from the field, and that “steady backup creator” profile can absolutely get real interest around the deadline.
Will Richard
Richard is a young, low-cost guard who can defend a little and space the floor, the exact kind of name teams like to take a swing on. He’s at 8.0 points and 2.7 rebounds, shooting 53.3% from the field, and he’s the type who becomes more valuable the moment a team believes it can expand his role.
