Golden State Warriors youngsters Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski will remain out for Monday night's matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers, but the pair are expected to return at some point on the seven-game home-stand which should hopefully give Steve Kerr a fully available rotation.
The Warriors moved to consolidate some of their depth for a star last month, completing that objective by sending out Andrew Wiggins, Dennis Schroder, Kyle Anderson and Lindy Waters III in exchange for 6x All-Star.
That move has paid immediate dividends, with Butler having transformed Golden State amid an 11-1 record with the 6x All-Star in the lineup. Yet while Butler has been a key factor in the team's ascension, the Warriors are also getting significant contributions from a number of their role players.
The Warriors are again facing a rotation problem
Having loaded up on depth during the offseason, Golden State came out of the gates with a 12-man rotation to start the season. The strategy certainly drew attention and mixed reviews, with it initally working well as the Warrriors jumped out to a 12-3 record.
It then quickly became obvious that Golden State simply didn't have enough high-end talent, with the franchise falling in a hole that ultimately led to the decision to trade for Butler prior to the deadline. Yet despite the 4-for-1 trade, the Warriors have still been left with a significant amount of depth that's going to leave some key questions for Kerr to answer.
Over recent weeks we've seen youngsters Gui Santos and Quinten Post develop into real difference-makers, while veteran guard Gary Payton II has surged back into some of his best form. When Kuminga and Podziemski return from their current injuries, Kerr could have 11 players who all warrant rotation minutes.
There's the current usual starting five of Stephen Curry, Podziemski, Butler, Moses Moody and Draymond Green, while Kuminga, Post, Santos, Payton, Buddy Hield and Kevon Looney are all legitimate bench options.
That's not even including Trayce Jackson-Davis who responded positively to his G League move on Sunday, and who Kerr wagered would return to the rotation mix at some point over the remainder of the season.
Kerr can't return to an 11 or 12-man rotation, meaning some tough but necessary rotation calls will have to be made if Golden State can remain fully healthy. Hield, Looney and Payton may be the players most under threat, particularly after Kerr seemingly confirmed that Santos would remain in the rotation after Saturday's impressive performance against the Detroit Pistons.
It may also just come down to a game-by-game basis and who the Warriors are playing against. Either way, it's a good problem to have but one that Kerr will have to manage carefully.