DeMar DeRozan has been proposed as a potential free agency addition for the Golden State Warriors, but the problematic fit with Jimmy Butler could force the front office to pass on the six-time All-Star.
The DeRozan idea is seen as a possible alternative if the Warriors miss out on LeBron James, with the franchise clearly needing more offense in the wake of Butler's torn ACL injury that will see him miss a significant part of next season.
Jimmy Butler and DeMar DeRozan makes for an awkward fit
As much as Golden State need to consider their options to try and make up for Butler's absence early next season, they also have to think about what the team will look like and how it fits once the veteran forward returns.
DeRozan may be worthwhile until Butler returns, but the overlapping skillset makes for a problematic fit which, combined with Draymond Green, will not be conducive to playoff success if the Warriors can even make it that far.
If the front office is going to make a big move to bring in a primary offensive option, whether through free agency or via trade, they're surely going to want a player who complements Butler in a way that DeRozan's mid-range style simply wouldn't.
Do the Warriors put a line through DeRozan as a result, particularly if they're adamant on keeping Butler rather than trading him? Perhaps the 36-year-old still holds value if he's willing to take a cheap contract, and then you just hope to figure things out later once Butler returns from injury.
Yet combine the problematic fit alongside Butler with the potential of taking opportunity away from younger plays, and you have a situation where Golden State may look elsewhere even if DeRozan is a legitimate option.
Warriors may still consider Jimmy Butler
While the combined IQ, experience and skill of Butler and James means that combination could work, the same kind of spacing concerns would likely exist when you also throw Green into the mix.
The idea of trading Butler for another star stems not only from trying to entice James to joining Golden State in free agency, but to actually make the team better by getting an upgrade that also fits a new-look roster if the 41-year-old signed in the Bay Area.
But DeRozan isn't James, and the Warriors aren't about to trade Butler in order to accomodate the fit of the former King. DeRozan may still be a high level scorer, but he's no longer the type of player that a franchise should be moving heaven and earth for.
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