Giannis Trade Rumors Reveal Warriors' Stance on Jimmy Butler, Jonathan Kuminga amid New Buzz

The Golden State Warriors are prepared to mortgage what assets they have for Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, according to Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix.

Mannix reported the Warriors have told the Bucks they're willing to send out Jimmy Butler, Jonathan Kuminga and "a cache of draft picks" if Milwaukee is willing to move Antetokounmpo.

The Bucks resigning themselves to losing the two-time NBA MVP is the first hurdle for Golden State.

That may not be an issue with ESPN's Shams Charania reporting Giannis "is ready for a new home ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline." The NBA insider added that interested suitors believe "the Bucks are more open than ever to Antetokounmpo offers between now and the deadline."

The bigger problem for the Warriors is that they may not be able to put the best offer together.

Butler is recovering from a torn ACL, and Milwaukee's appetite to take him back in the trade might be limited even if he were healthy. Losing Antetokounmpo effectively triggers a full rebuild, giving the team little need for a 36-year-old wing who's due to receive another payday in 2027.

Kuminga, 23, aligns better with what would be the Bucks' new timeline, but it has become harder to buy into the idea that he has a wealth of untapped potential.

The Warriors have plenty of first-round picks at their disposal, and that's not nothing from the standpoint of a post-Giannis future for Milwaukee. Golden State's longstanding aversion to tanking means those picks could fall in the mid-to-late stages of the first round, though.

Antetokounmpo can wield a lot of power here. If he told the Bucks he only wants a trade to the Warriors, then general manager Jon Horst wouldn't have many alternatives.

Should this become a competitive bidding war, Golden State might not have the strongest hand.