Warriors considered trading for Anthony Davis but backed away because of injuries and enormous contract risk
The Golden State Warriors seriously considered the possibility of acquiring Anthony Davis during the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, but the idea did not receive full support within the organization. According to a report by Logan Murdock for The Ringer, a smaller group of front-office members advocated pursuing a trade in which Jimmy Butler and future draft picks would form the centerpiece of the package. Such a move would have brought the Warriors one of the most influential big men of his generation, but it also would have raised a series of sporting, financial and health-related questions. Davis' long history of injury problems, combined with the expectation that he would seek a new multiyear contract extension, ultimately tipped the balance in favor of a more cautious approach. According to the information currently available, Golden State therefore decided to retain Butler and continue with the core of the team that is already under contract.
It is important to distinguish an internal discussion from concrete negotiations. Neither the Warriors nor the Washington Wizards officially confirmed that a formal offer was on the table, and reports from American media primarily described consideration of a possible direction. In late June, ESPN, citing a source familiar with Washington's position, reported that the Wizards were not interested in trading Davis and were not listening to offers at that time. This means that support from part of Golden State's management did not necessarily bring the club close to completing a deal. Nevertheless, the very fact that such a structure was discussed shows how carefully the Warriors are evaluating the final years of the competitive window built around Stephen Curry.
What the proposed trade structure looked like
According to the report carried by HoopsHype and other American basketball media, the most logical trade framework would have included Butler and additional compensation in draft picks. The reason is not only Butler's market value but also the basic financial mathematics of NBA trades. The specialized website Spotrac states that Butler has a salary of approximately 56.8 million dollars for the 2026/27 season, while Davis' salary amounts to around 58.5 million dollars. The two contracts are therefore close enough for Butler to be a natural starting point for salary matching, although the final structure would depend on the rules of the collective bargaining agreement, the team's overall status in relation to spending thresholds and the possible inclusion of additional players or a third franchise.
Alongside Butler, the Warriors would probably also have had to offer significant draft value. Washington acquired Davis in February 2026 in a major trade involving the Dallas Mavericks and Charlotte Hornets, and the NBA's official announcement states that the deal included nine players and multiple future picks. In that move, the Wizards acquired Davis, Jaden Hardy, D'Angelo Russell and Dante Exum, while the Mavericks received a package of players and picks that included Golden State's protected 2030 first-round pick. For that reason, Washington would have had a strong incentive to demand additional first-round picks or pick-swap rights in any new trade involving its biggest star, rather than only a veteran contract that is nearing expiration.
Such a price would have been particularly sensitive for Golden State. The San Francisco team is trying to remain competitive while Curry is still capable of playing at a franchise-leading level, but it must simultaneously be careful not to completely deplete its future assets. A trade for Davis could immediately raise the team's maximum potential, but it would reduce the number of options for later changes and bind the organization even more closely to an expensive veteran core. That is precisely why the decision required broad agreement across the club's ownership, basketball and financial structures. According to the available reports, such agreement was not reached.
Davis' quality is not in dispute, but availability remains the key issue
Anthony Davis remains a player capable of changing games at both ends of the court. A ten-time NBA All-Star, a champion with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020 and a multiple award-winning defensive player, he is capable of protecting the rim, switching onto different types of opponents and simultaneously serving as a primary or secondary offensive option. In 20 appearances during the 2025/26 season, he averaged 20.4 points, 11.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists, according to data published by the NBA at the time of his trade to Washington. In ideal health, his combination of size, mobility and defensive instinct could provide the Warriors with a dimension they have spent years trying to find in their frontcourt.
Such a profile would theoretically fit very well alongside Curry. Davis could set screens, finish plays above the rim, punish smaller lineups and cover a large amount of space defensively behind more aggressive perimeter defenders. His presence would also allow Draymond Green to spend part of his time in more flexible defensive roles instead of constantly taking on the most physically demanding assignments against opposing centers. On the other hand, the roster would become even older and more expensive, and Golden State would depend on the health of several veterans who have missed a significant number of games in recent seasons.
That is precisely where the biggest problem arises. Following Davis' trade from Dallas, the NBA reported that he had missed a large part of the season because of a torn ligament in his left hand and that, across two incomplete seasons with the Mavericks, he appeared in only 31 of a possible 84 games, including the play-in tournament. That figure does not describe Davis' entire career, but it shows clearly enough why the Warriors were evaluating not only his quality but also the likelihood that he would be available during the most important parts of the season. With a player earning such a large salary, every extended absence carries a double cost: it weakens the team on the court and limits the possibility of compensating for the loss with a new addition.
A new contract could be worth up to 275 million dollars
The second major reason for caution is connected to Davis' contract. ESPN reported that, beginning on August 6, 2026, he would become eligible for an extension worth up to four years and approximately 275 million dollars. According to the same report, the first year of a potential new contract would replace his player option for the 2027/28 season, worth around 62.8 million dollars. For the club acquiring him, this would not merely be a deal for one season, but a potential decision that would shape the roster structure and finances deep into the second half of the decade.
The Warriors would therefore have had to answer two separate questions. The first was whether Davis, when healthy, would improve their championship chances more than Butler. The second was whether the organization would be prepared to offer a multiyear maximum extension to a player who will turn 34 in March 2027 and whose availability has repeatedly been limited by injuries. Even if the answer to the first question was affirmative, the second carried a significantly greater long-term risk. In an era of stricter rules for the most expensive teams, one misjudged maximum contract can block trades, restrict the use of exceptions and make it more difficult to fill out the bench.
Washington faces a similar assessment. The Wizards acquired Davis as part of a more ambitious shift following a long rebuilding period, and the NBA's official review of summer moves shows that they continued reshaping the roster around veterans and young players. At the same time, ESPN's report that the club did not want to listen to offers suggests that, at least at the beginning of the summer, it did not view him as a temporary asset. However, extension negotiations could change the balance of power. If the two sides do not move closer to an agreement, Davis' name could reappear in trade rumors, but as of July 30, 2026, there is no official confirmation that Washington is actively seeking a trade.
Keeping Butler is also not a risk-free decision
Golden State's decision not to pursue Davis does not mean that the club selected a safe option. Jimmy Butler is recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, which he suffered on January 19 in a game against the Miami Heat. The Warriors officially announced that he underwent successful ligament reconstruction in Los Angeles on February 9. The club did not announce a precise return date, and with such an injury, the progress of rehabilitation is more important than early estimates. Butler will turn 37 in September 2026, so Golden State will have to manage his workload and expectations very carefully.
Before the injury, Butler averaged 20.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.5 steals in 38 games during the 2025/26 season, according to the NBA's report on his surgery. His value to the Warriors is not limited to statistics. Butler provides ball handling, the ability to draw free throws, tough defense and experience in high-pressure games. Offensively, he can take over part of the playmaking responsibility when Curry is double-teamed, while in late-game situations he can slow the pace and seek favorable individual matchups.
Nevertheless, returning from a serious knee injury at a late stage of a career cannot be treated as a routine situation. By rejecting a trade for Davis, the Warriors effectively exchanged one type of uncertainty for another. Instead of the long-term contractual risk and Davis' injury history, they accepted the short-term uncertainty of Butler's rehabilitation. The difference is that Butler's current contract expires after the 2026/27 season, allowing the club to retain greater financial flexibility than it would have had after a potential maximum extension with Davis.
Golden State chooses continuity as Curry's window narrows
The NBA's official review of summer transactions shows that, through July 30, the Warriors had not acquired a new major name, instead focusing on retaining their existing players. The club agreed to new contracts with Draymond Green, Al Horford, Kristaps Porziņģis and Charles Bassey, while an agreement with De'Anthony Melton was also listed among its summer moves. Alongside Curry, Butler and younger players such as Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, Gui Santos and Yaxel Lendeborg, Golden State is for now choosing continuity over another radical reconstruction.
Such a decision can be interpreted in two ways. The optimistic interpretation is that management believes Butler's return, a healthier season from Porziņģis and contributions from younger players can improve the team without surrendering future picks. The more cautious interpretation warns that the Warriors may be missing their final opportunity to add another star alongside Curry. Both perspectives carry weight because the club is simultaneously trying to win now and retain the ability to change direction when its veteran contracts expire.
Davis would have represented a more spectacular but significantly more binding choice. His arrival would have changed the team's defensive identity and raised the potential of the starting lineup, but the price would have included Butler, draft assets and probably a willingness to commit to another enormous contract. Keeping the current roster provides the Warriors with less immediate certainty on the court, especially while Butler continues his recovery, but leaves a more open path toward new deals during the season or next summer. In that sense, backing away from Davis is not merely an evaluation of one player, but a decision about how much of its future the club is willing to mortgage for another championship attempt.
For now, the most important fact is that the trade was not completed and that there is no official confirmation that negotiations reached the final stage. The report of division within the front office shows that Golden State considered an aggressive move, but after assessing the health, contractual and draft-related consequences, it chose to maintain its current direction. The market can nevertheless change quickly, particularly after Davis becomes eligible for a new contract extension on August 6. Until then, the Warriors remain committed to Butler, Curry and their veteran core, aware that every subsequent major decision is tied to limited time and a very small margin for error.
Sources:
- HoopsHype / Yahoo Sports - report on the Warriors' internal discussions during the Summer League and a possible package centered on Jimmy Butler (link)
- NBA.com - official review of the trade that sent Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards in February 2026, as well as information about his season and injury (link)
- Golden State Warriors / NBA.com - official announcement regarding Jimmy Butler's surgery after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament (link)
- ESPN - report on the Washington Wizards' position regarding offers for Davis and his eligibility for a contract extension worth up to 275 million dollars (link)
- NBA.com - updated review of moves made by the Golden State Warriors and other clubs during the summer of 2026 (link)
- Spotrac - current contract figures and Anthony Davis' salary for the 2026/27 season (link)