Jimmy Butlerâs ACL injury summed up the Golden State Warriorsâ 2025-26 season. They ended in the No. 10 seed and finished without a playoff berth.Â
The Warriors front office is not spending time looking at what went wrong but will work overtime this offseason in search of good pieces to support Stephen Curry.
While there is no doubt that Butlerâs long-term injury is a huge blow, the Warriors might have to reconsider sticking him around.
According to Blue Man Hoopâs Jack Simone, the Warriors should be open to trading Butler to the Brooklyn Nets for a pair of their stars.Â
âThereâs one deal that sneakily makes a lot of sense, if the other team were to be interested, and that would be trading Butler to the Brooklyn Nets in a deal for Michael Porter Jr. and Nicolas Claxton. It could solve multiple issues for the Warriors,â Simone wrote.
This will address the Warriorsâ depth issue while also giving them a relatively strong core.
How Warriors Can Deal with Brooklyn
GettyNEW YORK, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 03: Michael Porter Jr. #17 of the Brooklyn Nets in action during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Barclays Center on February 03, 2026 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images)
Butler commands a significant salary in Golden State and his contract complicates any trade away from the Bay Area.Â
Given Butlerâs injury status, the Nets may demand significant picks or young players attached. They want flexibility and taking on Butlerâs expiring deal could be a way to gain draft capital and clear space, as Porter Jr. is eligible for extension. Â
For the Warriors, the incoming players from Brooklyn can slot into Butlerâs cap space. Porter Jr.âs deal is the one he signed when he was with the Denver Nuggets and he will earn $40.8 million for 2026-27. He will then become an unrestricted free agent.
Claxton carries a more manageable $23 million hit next season. Salary-wise, the deal could work with fillers, but the Warriorsâ second-apron constraints would require careful construction.Â
How Additions Help Steph Curry
GettySteph Curry of the Golden State Warriors reacts during an NBA game.
The duo of Porter Jr. and Claxton looks like an upgrade to what the Lakers currently have in their depth.Â
Porter Jr. is a good volume scorer and he exploded for a career-high 24.2 points per game this season. He is also a decent rebounder and would complement Curryâs gravity perfectly.Â
Claxton brings that added big presence to the Warriors. Before they added Kristaps Porzingis at the trade deadline, they had to rely on Al Horford and Draymond Green to switch in the center position.
âThe Warriors have had a bunch of problems this year,â Simone added. âThey need to fix plenty of issues in order to take on the best teams in the West and help Stephen Curry compete for a championship. However, if Golden State had to pick two problems that sit toward the top of its list, they would likely be consistent scoring next to Curry and better play at the center position.â
If the Warriors get a deal done for Porter Jr. and Claxton, they can put behind the abysmal year and look forward to what could be a promising next year.Â
Both stars may not come across as the superstar addition needed to win, however, with Curry present, the Warriors just need support for him just like he did in 2022. That is a long time now but their win-now window can take a new approach with the Nets duo.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Warriors Mega Trade Pitch Builds $339 Million Star Trio Around Steph Curry appeared first on HEAVY.