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NBA Trade Idea Pairs Steph Curry With 15-Time All-Star

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ashish Mathur | Last updated Apr 17, 2025 11:10 AM ET

Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors will play the Houston Rockets in the first round of the 2025 playoffs. Curry has faced the Rockets four times in the postseason during his career. The sharpshooter has never lost a series to Houston.

The Warriors made a blockbuster trade this season, acquiring Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat. The Butler trade saved Golden State's season. The Warriors were 25-25 when they traded for Butler. They finished the season 48-34.

Golden State tried to acquire Kevin Durant from the Phoenix Suns before trading for Butler, but Durant wasn't interested in getting traded back to the Warriors, the team he won two championships and two Finals MVPs with.

The Suns are expected to trade Durant this summer and one NBA analyst believes the Warriors should trade Draymond Green, Jonathan Kuminga (sign-and-trade), Buddy Hield, a 2026 first-round pick and a 2028 first-round pick to Phoenix for Durant.

Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report proposed that the Warriors part ways with Green, who has spent his entire career in Golden State, to acquire Durant this summer.

"Given Durant's hefty $54.7 million salary in 2025-26, Golden State would almost certainly have to include Draymond Green in this deal," Bailey wrote. "With the personality clashes between Draymond and KD, that might actually get the former Warrior to soften his stance on returning to the Bay. Much of the rest of the incoming salary could be offset by a sign-and-trade involving restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga, who still has plenty of promise but wasn't in Golden State's rotation in its final game of the season."

Durant has made 15 All-Star teams during his career. The future Hall of Famer, who turns 37 in the fall, will make $54.7 million next season in the final year of his contract.

Durant averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists for the Suns this season while shooting 52.7% from the field, 43.0% from 3 and 83.9% from the free-throw line. It will be fascinating to see where he's playing next season.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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