Warriors were ready to trade Jimmy Butler for Giannis at the 2026 deadline

The Golden State Warriors were prepared to part with Jimmy Butler at the 2026 trade deadline if the Milwaukee Bucks had accepted their offer for Giannis Antetokounmpo, according to reporter Anthony Slater. Milwaukee declined, and Butler has not been offered in any trade since as he recovers from a torn ACL.

The Warriors were not interested in pursuing Anthony Davis or Jaylen Brown during the offseason, Slater reports, and all other scenarios built around Butler and draft picks were “shut down.”

Butler is on an expiring $56.8 million contract in 2026-27 and becomes extension-eligible on February 6. He said the contract is not on his mind. “I don’t pay attention to it,” Butler said. “My job is to go out there and hoop. You got to talk to (agent) Bernie Lee, you got to talk to (Warriors general manager) Mike Dunleavy, whoever else specializes in that aspect… That’s what I control. So, that’s what I do control.”