Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors
Getty
Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors did not expect their season to fracture this way.
Jimmy Butler’s season-ending torn ACL delivered a devastating blow to a team that had finally found its rhythm. Golden State was climbing the Western Conference standings, leaning on Butler’s two-way presence to stabilize games late and relieve pressure from Stephen Curry.
Now, that foundation is gone.
According to Shams Charania, the Warriors are expected to explore alternative paths to remain competitive. One name surfaced quickly.
DeMar DeRozan.
Polymarket Hoops
The Warriors are expected to pivot to a trade for DeMar DeRozan after Jimmy Butler suffered a season-ending torn ACL, per @ShamsCharania
Jimmy Butler Injury Forces Warriors to Reevaluate Direction
Butler’s injury does more than remove Golden State’s second-best player. It alters the entire calculus of the season.
Before going down, Butler was averaging over 20 points per game while anchoring lineups defensively and offensively. His ability to attack downhill, draw fouls, and defend elite wings allowed the Warriors to survive stretches where Curry was swarmed.
Without him, Golden State faces a gaping hole.
The internal question is unavoidable: do the Warriors lean into development, or do they attempt to stabilize the present?
That dilemma is where Jonathan Kuminga enters the picture.
Jonathan Kuminga Standoff Adds Urgency
Kuminga formally requested a trade earlier this month, and his relationship with head coach Steve Kerr has reportedly deteriorated beyond repair.
Charania noted that teams like the Dallas Mavericks and Sacramento Kings have interest in Kuminga, making him Golden State’s most viable trade asset.
With Butler sidelined, the Warriors now must decide whether Kuminga can realistically replace that production — or whether flipping him for a veteran is the more realistic path.
Why DeMar DeRozan Fits the Moment
The Los Angeles Lakers have been urged to target DeMar DeRozan
Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty ImagesThe Golden State Warriors have been urged to target DeMar DeRozan.
That is where DeRozan enters the conversation.
Charania explicitly floated DeRozan as a potential target who could help Golden State compete without Butler. While DeRozan does not replicate Butler’s defense, he does bring something Golden State desperately needs.
Shot creation.
The 36-year-old remains one of the league’s most reliable late-clock scorers, averaging close to 20 points per game while shooting efficiently from the field. His ability to generate offense in isolation could prevent lineups from collapsing when Curry sits or is trapped.
For a team still intent on maximizing Curry’s prime, that matters.
Proposed Trade Framework Emerges for Golden State
According to Evan Sidery of Forbes, a trade framework built around Kuminga and a veteran-minimum contract for DeRozan is legally viable under the salary cap.
That structure aligns with both teams’ incentives.
Golden State converts a stalled asset into immediate offense. Sacramento gains a younger forward who fits a longer timeline while clearing space in a crowded wing rotation.
It is not a guaranteed deal. But it is a logical one.
Evan Sidery
The Warriors might end up pivoting to a trade for DeMar DeRozan after Jimmy Butler suffered a season-ending torn ACL, per @ShamsCharania.
A swap of Jonathan Kuminga plus a veteran minimum salary for DeRozan is a legal trade framework for Golden State and the Kings.
What This Means for the Warriors
The Warriors are not panicking.
But they are pivoting.
Butler’s ACL tear likely ends any realistic championship aspirations this season. Still, Golden State remains firmly in the playoff mix, and Curry continues to play at an elite level. Allowing the season to drift without intervention risks wasting valuable time.
DeRozan is not a long-term solution.
He is a bridge.
A way to remain competitive now while the franchise navigates an increasingly uncertain transition period.
Final Word for the Warriors
Sacramento remains selective. Golden State remains disciplined. But according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Warriors are actively weighing what it means to compete without Jimmy Butler — and how Jonathan Kuminga fits into that equation.
One thing is clear.
Golden State is no longer operating from a position of patience.
And if the Warriors decide to move, DeMar DeRozan is firmly on the list of names that could define what comes next.