Warriors interested in Giannis, but path to deal remains complicated

The Warriors would love to take a swing at Giannis Antetokounmpo. Getting there is another story.

Golden State has expressed interest in the Bucks star, but the financial hurdles are significant. As ESPN’s Bobby Marks outlined, the Warriors would have a tough time matching salary without reshaping their roster in a major way.

“Golden State would be hard-pressed to cobble together enough matching salary and still have flexibility,” Marks wrote.

That starts with Draymond Green. His $27.7 million salary would almost certainly have to be included in any deal. The same goes for other key pieces, with Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Green combining to make up roughly 79 percent of the team’s payroll next season.

Beyond that, the Warriors’ roster is filled with smaller contracts. That makes building a clean package difficult. Several players also have options, adding another layer of uncertainty.

Golden State does have some draft capital. It can offer up to four first-round picks, along with younger players such as Brandin Podziemski or Moses Moody.

Still, a deal like this would likely require multiple moving parts. A third team. Tough decisions on the core. A willingness from all sides to make it work.

The interest is there. The path is anything but simple.