Warriors’ Pursuit of Bam Adebayo Connected to Signing A’ja Wilson

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Bam Adebayo was among the Miami Heat players who sent a message to Nikola Jokic following his injury.

The Golden State Warriors need a defensive anchor with a strong offensive skill set following their miss on a trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, and a unique pathway toward pursuing one has now presented itself.

The organization doesn’t just own an NBA team, but also owns the WNBA’s most recently admitted franchise: the Golden State Valkyries. Owner Joe Lacob founded the team in 2025 and is already on the hunt for big-name star power to increase the Valkyries’ success on the floor and visibility off it.

Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reported on Tuesday, February 10 that Lacob will target three-time WNBA champion A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces as soon as possible. The free agency period would have normally kicked off last month, but the league and its players are currently embroiled in a tense negotiation over a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) and a lockout isn’t out of the question.

Wilson is in a long-time personal relationship with Miami Heat big man Bam Adebayo, a three-time All-Star and five-time All-NBA defensive selection, who has long intrigued Golden State.

“Adebayo is a player the Warriors have been interested in over the last year … and he still holds a strong relationship with [Jimmy] Butler,” Siegel wrote. “Adebayo is certainly a player Warriors fans should keep in the back of their mind, especially with Lacob also owning the Golden State Valkyries in the WNBA.”

“Wilson, a four-time WNBA MVP, will be a key free agent target for Lacob and the Valkyries, sources said,” Siegel continued. “Why would this matter for the Warriors? Well, Wilson and Adebayo have been together for years. These two becoming the faces of both Golden State franchises is certainly something to monitor.”

Heat Could Trade Bam Adebayo to Warriors, Stack Draft Capital for Run at Giannis Antetokounmpo

GettyBam Adebayo of the Miami Heat guards Giannis Anetotokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks.

Adebayo is under contract for three more seasons after this one, with a player option for the 2028-29 campaign on his $161 million extension.

He might need to request a trade to get out of Miami, though there is a world in which the Heat will look to deal talent for draft capital this summer to improve its chances of acquiring Antetokounmpo.

Adebayo and Antetokounmpo could certainly play together successfully, but there is redundancy in their positions and skill sets. Furthermore, Adebayo is the player for whom Miami could extract the most value, while the Warriors had four first-round picks and several swaps at their disposal ahead of the deadline and will have even more draft capital opening up this summer.

Warriors Must Include Draymond Green in Trade for Bam Adebayo

GettyDraymond Green of the Golden State Warriors.

Golden State is liable to check in with the Milwaukee Bucks on Antetokounmpo again this summer.

The Warriors, along with the Heat and Minnesota Timberwolves, had the most traction in trade talks with Milwaukee in February. However, Golden State fell out of those conversations over the final days before the deadline, with Miami and Minnesota moving to the forefront.

Antetokounmpo included the Heat among his favored destinations. Thus, if the Warriors can’t land Antetokounmpo, but remain interested in one last run at a championship, they may seek an Adebayo trade.

To render a deal possible, Golden State must cobble together enough money to match Adebayo’s $49.8 million salary next year. That means the Warriors would have to include Draymond Green and Kristaps Porzingis in a move, the latter of whom becomes a free agent this offseason and could only be a part of such a transaction via a sign-and-trade.

Max Dible covers the NFL, NBA and MLB for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns. He covered local and statewide news as a reporter for West Hawaii Today and served as news director for BigIslandNow.com and Pacific Media Group’s family of Big Island radio stations before joining Heavy. More about Max Dible