De'Anthony Melton injury: Warriors provide major news regarding veteran guard's availability for the season
The Golden State Warriors prioritized depth in the offseason and signed several role players, including De'Anthony Melton. The seven-year veteran was limited to just six games this season due to a few injuries, one of which was a sprained ACL in his left knee.
Melton was initially ruled out indefinitely, but further testing revealed that he will need surgery. The Warriors announced he is scheduled to undergo surgery on his left knee soon and will be ruled out for the rest of the season. He signed a one-year deal, so his future is up in the air.
It has been a rough couple of years for Melton, who was traded by the Memphis Grizzlies to the Philadelphia 76ers before the 2022-23 season. He had a solid first year in Philly, but a back injury limited him to just 38 games last season.
Speaking to "Willard and Dibs" on 95.7 The Game on Tuesday, coach Steve Kerr hinted that things were bleak regarding De'Anthony Melton's injury.
"He's been seeking other opinions," Kerr said. "We've really been evaluating everything just trying to get him the best advice he can get. And we're obviously very concerned. … We're really taking our time and making sure De'Anthony gets all of the advice he needs."
In Melton's absence, the Warriors have several options at the shooting guard. Lindy Waters III has been starting in his place the past two games and playing solid basketball.
The good news for the Warriors is they can replace Waters if he doesn't perform well. Buddy Hield and Jonathan Kuminga are playing better off the bench and still getting a lot of minutes as sixth men.
Coach Steve Kerr can go with Gary Payton II if they want a defensive starting five, while Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody provide offense. Podziemski is the better passer, while Moody has the two-way potential to possibly be the longtime starter.
De'Anthony Melton shares origin of his nickname
Called "Mr. Do Something" early in his NBA career with the Memphis Grizzlies, De'Anthony Melton knew he'd fit in with the Warriors. Melton explained the origin of the nickname in an interview with NBC Sports Bay Area's Kerith Burke.
"From Brevin Knight in Memphis, one of the announcers," Melton said. "From when I first started playing he was like, 'He's always doing something, call him 'Mr. Do Something,' so he came up with that. Honestly, at first, I didn't like it. I just thought it was like, 'Go out there and do something,' like 'You're not doing nothing.' But as time went on it grew on me, the fans started to like it more."
Melton was selected 46th in the 2018 NBA draft by the Houston Rockets, but was traded to the Phoenix Suns before his rookie season began. He was dealt to the Memphis Grizzlies after a year and became a solid role player for them.