After Anthony Slater of ESPN reported earlier today that De’Anthony Melton is still in the late stage of his rehab process following last season’s ACL tear and is expected to miss the start of the season, the Warriors have confirmed as much.
According to the team, the plan is to reevaluate Melton in four weeks. Head coach Steve Kerr said today that the veteran guard will “hopefully be ready sometime in the next couple months,” per ESPN’s Tim Bontemps (Twitter link).
The Warriors’ timeline for Melton indicates he’ll miss at least the first week of the regular season and will likely remain sidelined for longer than that. Based on Kerr’s remarks, it sounds like a best-case scenario would see Melton back on the floor for the team at some point in November.
Melton, who signed a one-year, $12.8MM contract with the Warriors during the 2024 offseason, appeared in just six games for the team before tearing his left ACL on November 12. The 27-year-old also missed a significant portion of the 2023/24 season due to a back issue and has appeared in just 14 regular season and playoff games since the calendar flipped to 2024, so it’s safe to assume Golden State won’t rush his ramp-up period.
Melton signed a new two-year, minimum-salary contract with the Warriors earlier today. The deal, which includes a second-year player option, had been rumored for months and was made official only after Jonathan Kuminga‘s restricted free agency standoff was resolved, giving the team clarity on its salary cap situation.
Brandin Podziemski, Gary Payton II, Buddy Hield, and Moses Moody are among the Warriors guards who are candidates to play increased roles early in the season with Melton unavailable.
I forgot about this. He’s not going to be ready right now, but this is a good thing. He can ramp up slowly and play when it really counts.
Maybe treat him sort of like a midseason trade deadline acquisition, though he’ll probably join the team earlier than that.
Gary, what are your thoughts on Kuminga’s salary + trade kicker lining up almost exactly with Demar’s salary?
Looking at the other names at around that 24 million mark, there are some interesting players but nobody that jumps out.
I like DeMar DeRozan on the Warriors at this time and at this point in his career and considering what they need.
But, I never did like DeMar DeRozan in the past. He can’t shoot the three not that great a defender, etc. etc.
But right now as another guy who can score and get to the mid range jumpshot etc. I like him… for 1 year !!
All that to say, I think the Warriors now that they’ve signed JK, they’re going to see how this plays out.
They’re going to wait and see if it works or not.
Maybe JK has worked on his game over the summer?
Maybe he’ll buy into being part of the plan and part of the solution, not part of the problem and thinking of himself and the next paycheck?
So I would say let’s wait and see how this goes.
On paper it’s an OK fit because he’s young and athletic. Realistically he’s a bad fit because he’s not that good yet and he can’t shoot.
So I guess my answer would be, let’s see how this works for three months.
Does he fit and did he work on his game or will Jimmy start calling him Names in practice and JK will ask out by the deadline? Time will tell.
But yes, thumbs up to DeMar DeRozan at this point in his career and him providing what the Warriors need right now.
Not sure about any other guy in that salary slot, I haven’t looked at who could be available.
That’ll definitely open up once JK is available to be traded at full salary. Might see a big change for the Warriors at the deadline?
What are your thoughts. As a Kings fan do you like DeRozan for JK?
It would probably be nice because he’s redundant with Zach LaVine and plugging in a young forward instead would help mix things up?
I think Kuminga will start the season slowly because he always does. He’s always sluggish at the start of the season and after coming off an injury. Check his stats and shooting splits in the first 15 games in 22-23, 23-24, 24-25 and after the injury in 24-25. They are much worse than his averages.
I don’t think he has figured out how to put himself in form from day 1. And if anything, his preparation this summer was probably even worse, considering he had other things on his mind. And he didn’t play in that competition for his national team in August, which could have helped him sharpen up.
If my prediction is true, that’s not great for GS. But beneficial for other teams as he’ll be cheaper to acquire in a trade after a slow start.
@peter_cantrope, Observant you are. But it’s a small sample size and he was 18, 19, 20, and 21 in those years. When I was that age, I was showing up to practice hungover, faked all my stretching, and was sure I was smarter than the coaches. He says he has been eating his vegetables.
Not Gary, so this will be an inferior analysis, but, IMO, Dubs have no interest in Derozan at this stage of his career. He can still get buckets, but he’s never fit the Dubs style, past or present.
All the criticisms of Kuminga apply to Kuminga: high usage, holds the ball a long time, needs an iso or PnR offense. He’s never been a good defender, but at 35 years old he’s a bad one.
If Kuminga is moved, IMO, it’ll be for size and athleticism, of which the Dubs now have the least in the NBA.
Ari what about if it’s not working out with Jonathan Kuminga by the deadline? Jimmy’s upset with him in practice, he hasn’t improved his game over the summer, and he’s not really getting the minutes he wants and who knows how that will work in the locker room?
What do you do in that case mid February? Absolutely not on DeMar DeRozan?
I won’t ask about other players because it’s way too early for that.
Let’s see how this works out and keep our fingers crossed. But since DeMar DeRozan was brought up, what do you think about mid February in my scenario here?
You are entitled your (expert) opinion.
But I don’t see Demar DeRozan on the Warriors.
And what’s your deal with all these old dudes? DeRozan is 36.
Can we get some guys that are getting better every year instead of worse?
I would love to. But I think the choices are limited. It’s not like our guy is getting better every year lol.., he’s the same player he was four years ago in my opinion.
> he’s the same player he was four years ago in my
> opinion.
I get your position on JK. But there only about 15 guys in the NBA older than DeRozan, and we’ve got 3 of ‘em already.