At this point, it’s becoming abundantly clear that the Golden State Warriors really want to land the two blockbuster signings in Anthony Davis and LeBron James. Adding James and Davis to the Warriors’ lineup has been Golden State’s plan for quite some time. While that dream seems closer to reality than ever before, it won’t be an easy process for the Warriors.
No matter what way you slice it, the Warriors will need to find a third team to help facilitate a trade.
According to Sam Amico of HoopsWire, the possibility of the Warriors landing Davis appears to have taken a major hit as the Wizards are not interested in having Jimmy Butler on their list.
“Wizards would trade Anthony Davis. But if Warriors want AD they’d need to find a third team. Wizards not interested in Jimmy Butler,” he wrote on X on Monday.
The report comes after Yahoo’s Kevin O’Connor reported that the Warriors are interested in trading for Anthony Davis by including Butler along with draft assets. It makes sense from a financial and basketball standpoint, as Butler earns a $56.8 million contract for 2026-27, which is nearly identical to Davis’ $58.4 million figure with Washington.
But if Washington doesn’t want Butler, a third team is going to have to step up and eat at least a couple million dollars of Butler’s contract, and the Warriors will likely need to pay an asset for that. It’s going to be a complicated maneuver, but if the Warriors are interested in maximizing Steph Curry’s window, they need to find another team to make this deal happen.
Why Wizards Might Not Be Interested in Jimmy Butler in Anthony Davis Trade?
It’s not really a surprise that the Wizards may not be interested in Jimmy Butler, who is currently recovering from a torn ACL. They likely won’t be okay with putting his $57 million salary on their payroll just for him to sit out most of the year.
The forward played only 38 games before going down with the injury, a setback that brings back the health issues that plagued him in his career. Butler could very well command a massive chunk of Washington’s cap space on his next contract, and while the front office wouldn’t just hand him that without seeing him play first, there is still plenty of talent in draft picks left to bet on. However, with any player in their mid-30s, you are betting on what they are right now, not what they will be in the future.
Whether the trade ultimately pays off will depend on what the Wizards want, and their stance could still change. However, all signs continue to point to the Warriors’ interest in Anthony Davis and LeBron James being genuine, as evidenced by Draymond Green opting out of his $27.7 million player option. Now, all Golden State has to do is figure out the money and the logistics.
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