[Amick] The Mavericks initiated contact with the Golden State Warriors about Anthony Davis. Dallas has interest in Jonathan Kuminga, though the Warriors would have to include more to match contracts, such as the contract of Draymond Green, which they are staunchly opposed to.
In the absence of a season-saving deal for Giannis that is clearly unlikely (see above), the Warriors might have to accept the fact that this current group — by and large — is going to be it. Here’s why: Team sources say they’re staunchly against the notion of trading either Draymond Green or Jimmy Butler, which creates quite a predicament when you’re trying to match salaries of high-level players.
While a league source said the Mavericks do have interest in the Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga, who can’t be traded until Jan. 15 but is widely expected to be dealt before the deadline, the fifth-year forward’s salary (\(22.5 million) comes well short of Davis’ (\)54.1 million) and would thus require the inclusion of another big contract — i.e. Green ($25.8 million). Yet as Warriors coach Steve Kerr said publicly last week, and team sources confirmed, a move like that is simply not in their plans.
”My No. 1 goal, honestly, is for (Green) to finish his career as a Warrior with us fighting, metaphorically, not literally fighting and competing together until we’re both gone,” Kerr said after his bench dust-up with Green in a game against Orlando on Dec. 22.
A Butler-for-Davis swap works financially, as the Warriors forward also makes $54.1 million this season, but Golden State has shown no interest in making such a move. While team sources say the Warriors have not completely closed the door on the prospect of doing a Davis deal, it appears unlikely. What’s more, it should be noted that the Mavericks called Golden State about the Davis possibility — and not the other way around.