Melton’s Return Gaining Steam as Warriors Eye Full Workload

When De’Anthony Melton joined the Golden State Warriors in the summer of 2024, the move felt like a tidy basketball fit. His defense, activity and secondary playmaking projected to ease pressure on Stephen Curry while adding versatility to a veteran roster trying to extend its competitive window.

That plan unraveled almost immediately. Six games into the season, Melton tore the ACL in his left knee on Nov. 12, abruptly ending what was supposed to be his first year in the Bay Area. Instead of stabilizing the backcourt, he began a long rehabilitation process that kept him out for the remainder of the 2024–25 campaign.

Golden State pivoted as teams often do, reshuffling lineups and exploring other options to plug the defensive void. But internally, the organization never lost sight of the original idea. Melton’s two-way instincts and unselfish style still matched what the Warriors wanted to be.

So when free agency opened again in 2025, both sides reunited. Melton signed a modest two-year, $6.53 million deal, betting that patience — and health — would allow him to finish what he started.

1. Slow and Steady Return

The early months of the new season were defined less by box scores and more by caution. Melton missed the first 22 games while completing the final stages of his recovery, gradually increasing his workload through practices and controlled scrimmages. His debut finally came on Dec. 4 against a familiar opponent, the Philadelphia 76ers, where he once played. In 21 minutes, he looked comfortable, scoring 14 points with three assists and two steals — not flashy numbers, but encouraging signs of rhythm and mobility. From there, the ramp-up continued. Coaches kept his minutes in check, rarely pushing him beyond the low 20s. The goal wasn’t immediate production; it was durability, the kind that would carry him through spring rather than January. Yet production has followed anyway. Since the calendar flipped to 2026, Melton has quietly averaged 15 points per game while contributing rebounds, assists and steals, shooting efficiently enough to keep defenses honest. The form looks natural again, the hesitation gone.

2. Finding His Fit Again

What stands out most isn’t just the scoring but how easily Melton slides into Golden State’s ecosystem. He doesn’t need the ball to matter. He cuts, defends passing lanes and spaces the floor — traits that complement Curry and the Warriors’ motion-heavy attack. His best night of the season underscored that comfort. In a recent outing, Melton poured in a season-high 28 points while adding four rebounds and four assists in his longest stint of the year. For stretches, he looked like the disruptive two-way guard the front office envisioned 18 months earlier. Teammates have noted the same thing: his instincts. Even after nearly a year away, he still anticipates rotations and reads passing angles, turning small plays into extra possessions. Those details often separate contributors from difference-makers in tight games. The one remaining limitation has been scheduling. Like many players returning from major knee injuries, Melton has avoided back-to-back sets. The restriction is common, designed to protect against fatigue-related setbacks. Still, it’s the last visible reminder that his comeback remains incomplete.

3. The Next Step Forward

According to head coach Steve Kerr, that restriction may not last much longer. Speaking recently on Bay Area radio, Kerr said Melton’s minutes cap has already increased and that the guard could soon be cleared to play both ends of back-to-backs. For a team juggling veterans and young pieces, that flexibility matters. It allows Golden State to stabilize rotations and trust Melton in bigger stretches of the schedule, particularly during playoff positioning games when rest days are scarce. Kerr also addressed another health note surrounding Kristaps Porzingis, clarifying that the big man is not currently dealing with POTS after previous reports linked the condition to his time with the Boston Celtics. Porzingis, recently acquired from the Atlanta Hawks, has played sparingly and remains listed as questionable on some nights. As for Melton, his availability continues to improve. Heading into a home matchup with the division-rival Los Angeles Lakers, he was not on the injury report — a small but telling milestone for a player whose season once seemed in doubt before it even began.