Daryl Morey has no intention of trading Butler! Responds to Kuminga's trade request: There must be a team willing to take him on

On January 21st Beijing time, Warriors GM Daryl Morey gave an interview discussing Butler, sidelined for the season, and Kuminga, who had made a trade request earlier.

A reporter asked, "Although the circumstances are different, Melton was also out due to a serious injury and you traded his contract. How do you plan to handle Butler's contract?"

Morey responded, "Since you’ve asked so directly, I’ll explain my perspective. I hope he can bring the same strong energy to the team next year as when he joined last year. Ideally, he would recover and return mid-season to perform at his expected level again. Considering his age, delivering this level of play this season is already impressive. His playing style is unique, and with his skills, physical toughness, and basketball IQ, he can maintain a long-term presence in the league. So my expectation is to wait for the day he recovers within the coming year." The implication is clear: he does not plan to trade Butler's contract.

Then, Morey addressed Kuminga’s trade request. "I am aware of the situation.Regarding the trade request, one thing must be clear — when a player asks to leave, there must also be a team in the market willing to take him on.What happens next remains to be seen. But I have always maintained good communication with players, and I told him I am willing to work with him to find solutions. I want to help players solve problems, whether it’s Kuminga or anyone else on the team, I will do the same.”

“So our current stance is clear: we respect his wishes and are working to help fulfill them. But as team management, we must prioritize the team’s interests — that’s our responsibility, especially with the trade deadline approaching. In the coming weeks, I think we need to spend more time thoroughly assessing the team’s current state. I am actually quite satisfied with where the team stands, especially after last night’s game, where we found the direction the team needs to take. The entire team performed excellently and is moving in the right direction.”

“Obviously, the situation now is different from before. So I plan to use the next few weeks to watch more games and carefully observe the team’s condition.”