Thirteen games into the 2024-25 NBA season, the Warriors will be without a key player moving forward.
Veteran guard De'Anthony Melton will undergo left ACL surgery and miss the remainder of the season, the team announced Wednesday evening.
Melton missed the last two games after sustaining the injury during Golden State's 120-117 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Nov. 12.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr admitted his concern with the severity of the injury Tuesday on 95.7 The Game's "Willard & Dibs," adding that Melton was "seeking other options," but ultimately, surgery was the best decision for himself and the team.
Melton is scheduled for surgery in the "near future," per the team.
The 26-year-old was in his first season with Golden State after signing with the team on a one-year, $12.8 million contract this offseason. In six games this season, he averaged 10.3 points on 40.7-percent shooting from the field and 37.1 percent from 3-point range, with 3.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.2 steals.
He was thrust into Kerr's starting lineup in a rotation that finally seemed to work for Golden State.
Golden State Warriors
In those two starts in the backcourt alongside Steph Curry, Melton averaged 16.5 points on 47.8-percent shooting from the field and 50 percent from downtown, with 7.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals in 26.6 minutes.
He played his role perfectly in limited time with the Warriors, and now it will be a heavy task to fill the void with so much hoops left to play.
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