Golden State Warriors guard De’Anthony Melton has suffered a sprained left ACL, the team announced Thursday. The injury will sideline him for Friday’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies. Melton, 26, will also undergo further testing to determine a full recovery timeline, according to multiple sources.
Golden State Warriors Steve Kerr said he’s unsure when De’Anthony Melton sustained the injury against the Mavericks
Melton suffered the sprain during Tuesday’s game against the Dallas Mavericks, ESPN’s Kendra Andrews reported. However, the USC product never left the game and finished with 14 points, four rebounds, and four assists in 26 minutes. He had started the previous two games.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told reporters he wasn’t sure when in the game Melton’s injury had occurred. Kerr also added that he wanted to keep Melton as a full-time starter in the backcourt.
“He’s obviously a really important player for us, the guy who we envisioned and has done a good job as the starting two-guard,” Kerr said, per Emerman. “It’s a concern, for sure, but we’ll know more over the next few days.”
Kerr continued: “It’s disappointing. It was really the perfect mix. De’Anthony does a little bit of everything: on-ball defense, rebounding, 3-point shooting, playmaking. Great fit, and that’s why we targeted him. The fact that he’s going to be out the next game is a bummer. We were finding some momentum.
Warriors guard De’Anthony Melton has a sprained left ACL and will undergo further tests. He will not play in tomorrow night’s game against the Grizzlies and an update on his status will be provided when available.
— Warriors PR (@WarriorsPR) November 14, 2024
“We’ll see how this unfolds. We’ve got options, we’ve got a lot of depth and we’re very capable of filling in. But it’s very disappointing for him and for us.”
Per Basketball-Reference, through six games (two starts), Melton is averaging 10.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.2 steals, and 20.2 minutes per contest while shooting 40.7% from the field, 37.1% from 3-point range, and a career-low 62.5% at the free throw line.
The California native missed five straight games earlier this season due to a strained lower back. The Warriors announced in October that an MRI scan had revealed no structural damage. Melton joined Golden State in July on a one-year, $12.822 million contract.
