Caleb HightowerThu, April 30, 2026 at 1:28 AM UTC·2 min readWarriors blockbuster trade proposal lands $149 million former Spurs superstar originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The clock is ticking for the Golden State Warriors to orchestrate another championship-winning campaign.
The Warriors, headlined by 38-year-old Stephen Curry, are among the oldest teams in the NBA, and don’t have much time before they’re forced to enter the post-Curry era and retool their roster.
In a desperate attempt to help the Warriors reach the promised land in 2026-27, ESPN’s Zach Kram crafted a blockbuster trade proposal that would land the franchise a 24-year-old former San Antonio Spurs superstar.
“The Warriors have been connected more to (Kawhi) Leonard than any other team in recent months, and for good reason,” Kram wrote Wednesday. “After Butler tore his ACL in January, the Warriors need a Plan B if they want to try to reopen their competitive window while 38-year-old Stephen Curry is still playing at an All-Star level.”
“Leonard would be a strong fit as a Butler replacement, with even higher upside after the best regular season of his career. The salaries of the two stars match well enough that no other player would need to be included in this deal.”
“For the Clippers, think of this trade (Butler and two first-round picks to the Clippers for Leonard) as a supersized version of last summer's Brooklyn-Denver deal, which sent Cameron Johnson to the Nuggets in exchange for Michael Porter Jr. and a far-off future first-round pick.”
Leonard would fit the mold of a typical Warriors wing. The San Diego State product is an elite off-the-dribble catch-and-shoot three-point shooter who’s comfortable playing an up-tempo brand of basketball and making a game-changing impact on the defensive end.
Leonard averaged 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.9 steals with the Clippers last season, shooting 50.5% from the field and 38.7% from three in 65 regular-season contests.
As good as Butler is and has been for the Dubs since arriving midway through the 2024-25 season, Leonard would be a clear upgrade this season, making Kram’s trade idea a logical one.
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