As the Golden State Warriors continue to struggle, it seems clear that they need to make a big move to shake up their roster. They have already been linked to a star, but it will cost them a lot.
It's difficult to imagine a scenario in which the Warriors would trade franchise icon Draymond Green, but according to Yahoo Sports' Jake Fisher, there is one scenario in which they might. The only way they would trade Green is for Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Golden State would have to part with either Green or Jimmy Butler to be able to match the salary in a blockbuster deal for Giannis. Butler is the team's second-best player and someone they should want to keep around even if they add Giannis.
Of course, they'd want to keep Green too, but it would come down to those two players. Loyalty aside, moving Green in a deal for Giannis would be a no-brainer.
The Warriors may be forced to trade Draymond Green
The framework of a possible trade package could include Green, Jonathan Kuminga, Buddy Hield, and four first-round picks for Giannis and Thanasis Antetokounmpo. All things considered, that might be a pretty strong offer, with teams reportedly wary about trading first-round picks, according to ESPN's Tom Bontemps and Brian Windhorst.
For Milwaukee, they'd be able to take a flyer on Kuminga and get four firsts. Those picks might not all be lottery selections, but considering that Milwaukee is light on picks, adding four should add plenty of value for them.
Make no mistake, it would cost Golden State dearly. But the end result could be that they go from being a fringe playoff team to being a team that can contend with the NBA's elite.
They might still be behind the Oklahoma City Thunder in terms of talent. However, with a top-three player in Giannis, a top-15 player in Steph Curry, and a top-25 player in Butler, they could dramatically close the gap between the two teams.
The obvious downside is that it will cost them Green as well as four picks. Still, it's difficult, as it would be to trade him; making the move to acquire Giannis could be a game changer for Golden State, and something they should absolutely consider.