Warriors Still Waiting on De’Anthony Melton’s Return From ACL Tear
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Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said veteran wing De’Anthony Melton remains “not very close” to game action as he continues to recover from a torn left ACL suffered on Nov. 12, 2024.
Melton, 27, appeared in only six contests for Golden State last season, averaging 10.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists while shooting 40.7% from the floor, 37.1% from three-point range and 62.5% at the foul line. He has traveled with the team during its current trip and has begun limited scrimmage work, Kerr told 95.7 The Game’s “Willard & Dibs” on Tuesday.
“He missed all of last year pretty much, so he needs a lot of on-court scrimmaging and rhythm work,” Kerr said. “The good news is he’s getting healthier and stronger every day, and he’s definitely going to play a part of the season coming up. We just don’t have an exact date yet.”
In early October, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps reported Kerr hoped the guard would return “in the next couple months,” a timeline that now points to December at the earliest.
Golden State dealt Melton to the Brooklyn Nets last December, but he re-signed with the Warriors during the offseason on a two-year, $6.5 million contract that includes a second-year player option and trade restriction.
The USC product also missed a large portion of the 2023-24 campaign with a back injury and has logged just 14 regular-season and postseason appearances since January 2024.
The Warriors enter Tuesday’s matchup in Orlando at 9-6, seventh in the Western Conference, and are in the middle of a six-game road swing.
Source: Basketball Insiders
