The 2026-27 NBA season could determine whether the Golden State Warriors extend their aging foundation or finally tear it down.
Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler are all playing on expiring contracts, giving Golden State an opportunity to disband its veteran core if the season begins poorly.
Marcus Thompson II, who has covered the Warriors for more than a decade as a beat writer and columnist for The Athletic, raised the possibility of Green being traded during an appearance on “The Kevin O’Connor Show.”
“I think this might be the time,” Thompson said. “Right now, we’re gonna figure out what happens next. I think by the trade deadline, we’ll know. This is gonna be tough, and we could really, fully be saying goodbye. Draymond could be traded at the trade deadline.”
Thompson could also envision Butler being moved, but he did not believe the Warriors would consider dealing Curry, whom he described as a franchise “lifer.”
Moving Green would not be simple. He would be an expensive rental earning $27.7 million and likely would not command the return he once did, despite remaining one of the NBA’s most impactful defensive players.
A contender looking to upgrade its defense could still pursue Green without surrendering a major portion of its future.
Butler presents a different complication. He turned 37 on Monday and is recovering from the torn ACL he suffered last season. The veteran forward is not expected to return until late January or early February.
Golden State acquired Butler from the Miami Heat at the 2025 trade deadline. The move has not produced the intended results, with Butler appearing in only 68 games for the Warriors over parts of two seasons.
Thompson noted that Golden State has approximately $100 million in expiring contracts, much of it attached to the core of its roster. That flexibility would allow the front office to make a dramatic pivot if it determines the current group can no longer contend.
“That’s the core players,” Thompson said. “Klay’s already gone. If Draymond leaves, there’s a sense you could feel like they just might start this thing completely over.”
Resetting during the final years of Curry’s career would be seismic, but the Warriors are already attempting to build their next generation. Coach Steve Kerr recently praised the influx of young talent on Golden State’s roster, particularly No. 11 overall pick Yaxel Lendeborg.
If the Warriors stumble, the trade deadline could become more than an opportunity to adjust the roster. It could mark the end of their championship foundation.
