One harsh lesson the Golden State Warriors can take from this season is that they were almost flirting with tanking form at times. Their win-now aspirations around Stephen Curry didn’t go according to plan.
Excuses can be made with the number of injuries they suffered to key players like Curry and Jimmy Butler. However, the Warriors’ front office will have to add a stronger piece around their star point guard.
Senior NBA writer Jake Weinbach floated a trade scenario between the Warriors and Brooklyn Nets.
In the proposal, Golden State would acquire forward Michael Porter Jr. and guard Terance Mann. In return, the Nets would receive Jimmy Butler and Golden State’s No. 11 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
“Golden State will likely explore deals utilizing Butler’s $56.8M expiring contract to strengthen the roster this offseason,” Weinbach wrote in a post on X.
The Warriors brought in Butler to accelerate their contention but they can now leverage his expiring deal to get two players from the Nets.
How the Warriors Could Acquire Porter Jr.
GettyOKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA – MAY 18: Michael Porter Jr. #1 of the Denver Nuggets shoots the ball during the first half of game seven of the Western Conference semifinals against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center on May 18, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Joshua Gateley/Getty Images)
This deal would require good salary matching for the Warriors. Porter Jr. is in the final year of his five-year, $179 million extension he signed while still with the Denver Nuggets. He will earn roughly $40.8 million for 2026-27.
Mann will earn $15.5 million this coming season on his three-year deal. These two potential incoming players fit right into the space meant for Butler’s salary next season. It means that the Warriors will not need to worry about a major roster shakeup.
The added first-round pick is added compensation for the Nets who will be giving away a 27-year-old Porter Jr. and a 29-year-old Mann for a 36-year-old Butler.
Trading Butler for two pieces is the Warriors’ best approach to leverage him at the moment. His injury-plagued season didn’t help boost his stock towards an extension by the franchise. Butler suffered an ACL tear in January and if the timeline serves correctly, he will miss a huge chunk of the first half of the season.
The Warriors are desperate to win and may not likely have such patience. But Brooklyn might, for a chance to get more first-round draft picks and offload Mann’s contract.
Porter Jr.’s Potential Fit Alongside Steph Curry in Golden State
GettyStephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors
Golden State General Manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. has emphasized maximizing Curry’s remaining prime years and as such, surrounding him with good pieces will be the goal.
Porter Jr. offers a reliable scoring option to the roster. He averaged a career-high 24.2 points this season playing 52 games. Although it was his lowest number of games in four seasons. He is also a decent rebounder, averaging at least seven rebounds per game in the last three seasons.
Almost a 40% career 3-point shooting makes Porter Jr. the ideal supplement to Curry’s gravity. At 6-foot-10, he can also cover up for defensive lapses in Golden State’s small-ball system.
As a bonus, Porter Jr. brings a championship pedigree being part of the Nuggets team that won the 2023 title. He played 62 regular-season games as well as 20 games in the playoff run.
Warriors Unique Trade Pitch Lands $179 Million Star Wing Next to Steph Curry