One of the Warriors' influential voices believes it would be difficult for the team to pull off a Jimmy Butler trade.
And with the NBA's Feb. 6 trade deadline just nine days away, that might provide a hint at where the organization currently stands on the potential blockbuster move.
Warriors forward Draymond Green broke down on the latest episode of his podcast, "The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis," why Golden State trading for Butler would be challenging to pull off.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
"It's hard to trade a guy that makes $52 million a year," Green told Davis and guest Tim Hardaway Sr. "For instance, if you look at our roster, say you want to trade for Jimmy with the least amount of players that you could on our roster. That means you've got to trade Jimmy straight up for Steph [Curry] or you have to trade Jimmy for me and [Andrew Wiggins]. I don't think you're going to do that, so now you start looking at you've got to trade like five guys for one guy. Then you start getting into needing a third team because now you've got to clear roster spots.
"It's hard to trade, and another thing is, people don't understand in this league when you start talking trades, great players don't get traded. That just don't happen. Like great players in their prime, you don't get traded."
Golden State initially was mentioned as one of Butler's three preferred trade destinations on Dec. 10 before NBC Sports Bay Area's Monte Poole reported on Jan. 4, citing league sources, that the Warriors were "skittish" about trading for Butler.
ESPN's Shams Charania now is reporting, as of Tuesday, that the Warriors have re-entered the market for Butler after Miami's asking price dropped.
Golden State Warriors
Find the latest Golden State Warriors news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Bay Area and California.
It remains to be seen exactly how interested the Warriors are in Butler, if at all, but given both Green and Curry reportedly have had significant influence in the team's trade pursuits over the years, and very likely would have to sign off on any pursuit of Butler before the front office began discussing a trade with Miami, Green's comments certainly indicate he doesn't view the move as very feasible.
Perhaps he's just posturing? We will find out soon.