The Warriors will finally get De’Anthony Melton back on the floor. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the veteran guard is expected to make his season debut Thursday night in Philadelphia, where he once played.
Melton has spent the fall finishing his recovery from an ACL tear suffered last November. He isn’t on Golden State’s initial injury report and is on track to be available for the first time in nearly 13 months.
His first stint with the Warriors was short but promising. Melton signed a one-year deal with Golden State in the 2024 offseason and played in only six games before the injury cut his season short.
He averaged 10.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.2 steals in just over 20 minutes per game. The Warriors posted a +10.9 net rating in his 121 minutes, and his two-way versatility looked like a clean fit next to Stephen Curry.
Melton returned to the Warriors this fall after a brief stop in Brooklyn, but availability has been his biggest challenge. Between the knee injury and a lingering back issue from the previous season, he has played only 14 games since January of 2024. Steve Kerr is expected to bring him along slowly and keep him on a minutes limit for now.
Golden State needs the help. Curry remains out with a quad contusion and several rotation players — Jimmy Butler, Jonathan Kuminga and Quinten Post — are questionable for Thursday.
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