Warriors Deny Giannis Trade Involving Jimmy Butler

Merlin sees Golden State’s GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. close the book on deadline specifics about talks with Milwaukee for Giannis, saying, "You're putting words in my mouth," and refusing to name trade pieces. Media had floated Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green as fits; Butler, recovering from a torn ACL, will stay with the Warriors while they sit eighth at 28-25. Merlin senses stability over spectacle. Keeping Butler preserves a high-value, expiring salary the front office can wield in the summer, while Dunleavy’s insistence that Green "was not in conversations" aims to calm a restless room. If the Warriors falter, expect the staff to convert expiring contracts into draft assets. If they rally, those same contracts become insurance for a playoff push.