The Golden State Warriors have confirmed that guard De’Anthony Melton will miss the remainder of the 2024-25 NBA season due to a significant knee injury.
Melton, who joined the Warriors this offseason, has been sidelined with a sprained left ACL. After further testing, it was determined that he will need ACL surgery to address the issue.
The Warriors officially announced, “Golden State Warriors guard De’Anthony Melton, who has missed the last two games due to a sprained left ACL, underwent further testing to determine the extent of the injury. The test indicated that it is in De’Anthony’s best interest to proceed with ACL surgery. He is scheduled for surgery in the near future and will miss the remainder of the 2024-25 season.”
This injury comes as a significant setback for Melton, who had been an important offseason acquisition for the Warriors.
In his brief six-game stint this season, he averaged 10.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game while playing 20.2 minutes per contest.
The injury also comes at a crucial time in Melton’s career. The 26-year-old is set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer, as his one-year, $12.8 million contract with Golden State expires.
With Melton out for the season, the Warriors will need to adjust their plans moving forward. ESPN NBA Front Office insider Bobby Marks reported that Golden State is eligible to file for a Disabled Player Exception (DPE) due to the season-ending injury.
The DPE, valued at $6.4 million (50% of Melton’s salary), allows the Warriors to add another player to their roster. However, the team’s financial situation presents limitations.
Golden State is currently $534K below the first apron, meaning they are not allowed to exceed that threshold. As a result, the Warriors can only sign a 15th player starting on March 1.
The injury now casts uncertainty over his future, as a lengthy recovery from ACL surgery could affect his market value during the offseason.
Melton’s absence will leave a hole in the Warriors’ rotation as they look to maintain their competitiveness in the highly contested Western Conference.
