SAN FRANCISCO – De’Anthony Melton only played six games for the Warriors last season, yet that extremely small sample size justified why the front office and coaching staff saw him as such a perfect fit.
The Warriors went 4-2 in those games, winning the two Melton started, which were against the eventual champion Oklahoma City Thunder and the previous season’s reigning Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks. But Melton’s campaign was over by the middle of November after a knee injury sustained in that win over the Mavs was later revealed as a torn ACL that required season-ending surgery.
Losing Melton was disappointing for a number of reasons. Finding ways to ensure his Warriors career hadn’t come to a complete end quickly became a focus for the front office.
“I’d say we kind of put a pin in it, took note, and said if we have an opportunity to bring him back at some point, let’s try and do that,” Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy said Wednesday. “Fortunately enough, we were able to do it. Made a long summer of it, but got him signed and ready to go. He’ll finish up his rehab stuff and be with us soon.”
Melton’s return to the Warriors became official Wednesday, but he hasn’t been medically cleared from his knee surgery. The veteran guard is doing individual work while the rest of the Warriors go through training camp practice. Melton will be re-evaluated in four weeks, ruling him out for their regular-season opener against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Adding salt to wound last season, the Warriors traded him to the Brooklyn Nets on Dec. 15. The move essentially was to use his contract so they could acquire Dennis Schröder as the Warriors had gone from starting the season 12-3 to losing seven of their next 11.
“Business is business,” Melton said Wednesday. “I mean, I probably would have traded myself too, especially given the way the season was at the time. They needed someone, especially with my contract, that could come in and play and help the team. So I felt no type of way.”
Melton understood the situation and wasn’t left in the dark. Dunleavy and coach Steve Kerr had conversations with him to let Melton know his contract could be moved to help the team, making their message clear of their hopes for his future in a Warriors jersey.
The Southern California native is well versed with everything off the court in the NBA. Melton was selected in the second round of the 2018 NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets and spent all of summer league with them. He then was traded to the Phoenix Suns later in the summer before his rookie year began, only to be traded one year later to the Memphis Grizzlies, where Melton played the next three years. Melton spent two seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers but seemed to have found a home in the Bay as a Warrior.
From the offseason program, to training camp in Hawaii, preseason and the few weeks he played for the Warriors, everything felt right. Even after his injury and trade, Melton never forgot what it was like to be a Warrior.
“Ultimately, it’s so much love here,” Melton said. “The medical staff, they do such a great job with my body and just keeping me right. I think those reasons and then just the coaching staff and the team and the short-lived time we had together, it was amazing.”
Melton’s contract last season played a larger role than anyone could have ever imagined. The domino effect of adding Schröder with it helped lead to the Warriors trading for star forward Jimmy Butler.
“We got a Butler out of it, too,” Melton joked.
Familiarity is in the building for Melton, making his integration back into the locker room that much easier, as well as his transition to the court once the training staff allows him to. He knows the offensive and defensive system and will be right there to absorb and learn any new wrinkles.
Around the locker room, the only face that’s missing – aside from the players sent out in the Butler trade – is Kevon Looney. Like the rest of the league witnessed as he went through his rehab, Melton saw just how strong a healthy Warriors team can be with Butler now in the mix.
“You just saw the spark come back,” Melton said. “You saw guys were up, guys were ready and you could just see how quickly he got acclimated with the team. As soon as he got there they went on a run and started beating quality teams without any practice. I think seeing stuff like that, it just motivated me that this could definitely be something special. … Health is the biggest thing for us, you know.
“Staying healthy, I think we’re a dangerous team. For sure.”
Melton is back to where he always wanted to be. He’s champing at the bit to be part of the equation again, but the trust he developed from all parts of the Warriors’ brass from top to bottom has him believing patience will pay off and he’ll be swimming in the fruits of his labor when it’s all said and done.
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