"WITHIN 24 HOURS OF Jimmy Butler's franchise-altering ACL tear, Golden State Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy admitted that the team's new reality meant an altered approach could be necessary at the upcoming trade deadline. "Maybe the parameters have changed," Dunleavy said. "Maybe the goalposts have moved." One of the key roster-building checkpoints on the NBA calendar is one week away. In advance of the Feb. 5 trade deadline, the Warriors have several questions to answer, beginning with the ramifications of Butler's injury."
"With Butler in the lineup, they were exploring smaller-scale upgrades, attempting to use Jonathan Kuminga's $22.5 million salary to boost a surging team they believed was a fringe contender. Realistic contention evaporated when Butler went down, reducing the front office's appetite to spend an asset for a strictly win-now swing. It's feasible they find a deal that raises the ceiling of this season's team, but their focus is on better setting up the roster to enter the contention conversation for 2026-27 and beyond."
Mike Dunleavy acknowledged that Jimmy Butler's ACL tear changes the Warriors' approach to the Feb. 5 trade deadline. The front office has shifted toward a more future-focused strategy after previously exploring smaller upgrades and using Jonathan Kuminga's $22.5 million salary to push a surging, fringe-contending roster. Butler's injury reduced appetite to trade significant assets for a short-term boost, though modest deals remain possible. The franchise's prime long-term target continues to be Giannis Antetokounmpo, and league sources say the Warriors have contacted Milwaukee and expressed willingness to make a substantial offer despite Antetokounmpo's calf strain and unclear timetable.
Read at ESPN.com
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