De’Anthony Melton Rumors

Warriors To Acquire Dennis Schröder From Nets

December 14th, 2024 at 3:08pm CST by Rory Maher

The Warriors are finalizing an agreement with the Nets to acquire veteran point guard Dennis Schröder, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.

Sources tell Charania that Brooklyn will send Schröder and one second-round pick to Golden State in exchange for injured guard De’Anthony Melton and three second-rounders.

Marc Stein and Jake Fischer (Twitter links), who first reported that Brooklyn’s return would include Melton’s expiring contract and second-round compensation, suggest the deal is on track to be completed on Sunday, when Melton officially becomes trade-eligible.

Fischer hears that the two teams also discussed Nets forward Cameron Johnson, but he won’t be included in this trade (Twitter link). However, Warriors two-way player Reece Beekman may be added to Golden State’s outgoing package, Fischer notes (via Twitter).

Both Melton and Schröder are on expiring contracts and will hit free agency in 2025. Melton has a cap hit of $12,822,000 this season, while Schröder is earning $13,025,250. The Warriors, who are currently operating just $533K-ish below their hard cap, will move closer to that threshold as they take on an extra $203K in salary in the swap with the Nets.

Melton, 26, signed a one-year deal deal worth the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception with the Warriors over the offseason to try to rebuild his value following an extended absence last season due to a back ailment. Unfortunately, the defensive stalwart suffered a partially torn ACL just six games into his tenure with Golden State, requiring him to undergo season-ending surgery.

Schröder is off to an excellent start to the ’24/25 campaign and is a major reason why the Nets have been surprisingly competitive to this point. In 23 games, all starts (33.6 MPG), he’s averaging 18.4 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 6.6 APG and 1.1 SPG on .452/.387/.889 shooting.

Charania reported earlier this week that the Nets had been discussing trades involving Schröder, Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith, with the Warriors expressing interest in all three players. Now a deal for Schröder is being finalized.

Multiple reports indicated Brooklyn was hoping to land a first-round pick for Schröder, but that was considered an overly optimistic ask for a role player on an expiring contract. The team will ultimately accept a net gain (pun not intended) of two second-rounders. Moving on from the point guard sooner rather than later will also limit the Nets’ upside on the court, potentially increasing the value of their own 2025 first-round pick.

According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link), the Nets continue to be active in trade discussions, particularly involving Johnson and Finney-Smith.

While Melton won’t return this season, his contract could come in handy in a subsequent trade for Brooklyn — he’ll become eligible to aggregated again on February 5 as long as the Nets and Warriors complete their deal on or before Monday. The Nets could hang onto him until then, then perhaps waive him after the Feb. 6 deadline if they don’t find a use for his expiring contract on the trade market.

Nets Discussing Johnson, Finney-Smith, Schröder Trades; Warriors Have Interest

December 10th, 2024 at 9:02am CST by Luke Adams

Nets veterans Cameron Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Dennis Schröder have all generated trade interest early this season, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Insider link), who reports that Brooklyn has begun to have exploratory discussions involving the trio.

The Warriors are among the clubs that have expressed interest in those three players, sources tell Charania, who adds that rival teams believe Golden State is willing to use De’Anthony Melton‘s $12.8MM expiring contract and draft assets in a trade. Melton suffered a season-ending ACL injury last month.

While the wording of Charania’s report suggests Golden State has expressed interest in all three of those Nets trade candidates, Johnson looks to me like a less likely target for the Warriors. He has a $22.5MM cap hit and another $4.5MM in unlikely incentives that count toward the tax aprons, which could be problematic for a Warriors team operating right up against its hard cap.

Besides being a complicated fit from a salary perspective, Johnson is the player (of those three Nets) whose skill set overlaps least with Melton’s, so if Golden State is seeking a replacement for its injured guard, he’s not an obvious fit. But he’s off to a great start this season — his 18.8 points per game, 48.8% field goal percentage, and 43.4% three-point percentage would all be career highs.

Finney-Smith ($14.9MM) and Schröder ($13MM) have salaries in the range of Melton’s and have more in common with the 26-year-old guard on the court. Finney-Smith is a solid, versatile defender capable of knocking down three-point shots (a career-best 43.2% this season), while Schröder is a talented ball-handler, scorer, and play-maker whose 38.5% three-point rate and 2.5 three-pointers per game this season are career highs.

Besides having more modest cap hits, Finney-Smith and Schröder also have shorter-term contracts than Johnson. Schröder will be an unrestricted free agent in 2025 while Finney-Smith can join him by turning down his 2025/26 player option worth $15.4MM. Johnson’s contract runs through the 2026/27 season.

The Nets project to have the most cap room of any NBA team during the 2025 offseason, so they’ll likely try to avoid taking on multiyear contracts in any deal involving Finney-Smith and/or Schröder.

Besides registering interest in role players like the Nets’ trio, the Warriors remain interested in adding a star – ideally a play-maker and scorer – who could complement Stephen Curry, Charania reiterates.

Charania made a similar point during an NBA Today appearance last week, noting that Golden State will try to determine in the two months leading up to the February 6 trade deadline whether forward Jonathan Kuminga can become that sort of impact player or whether the club will need to keep trying to acquire a star via trade. The Warriors expressed trade interest over the summer in both Paul George and Lauri Markkanen.

De’Anthony Melton Undergoes Surgery On Partial ACL Tear

December 5th, 2024 at 7:07am CST by Luke Adams

Warriors guard De’Anthony Melton underwent surgery on Wednesday in Los Angeles to repair a partially torn ACL in his left knee, the team announced in a press release.

It was initially reported over two weeks ago that Melton would undergo season-ending surgery to address a left ACL injury, though this is the first time the team referred to that injury as a partial tear.

According to the Warriors, the plan is for Melton to begin rehabilitation on the knee in the coming weeks. He’s expected to make a full recovery prior to the start of the 2025/26 season.

The next step for the Warriors will likely be to apply for a disabled player exception, a salary cap exception that can be awarded to teams who lose a player to a season-ending injury. It would be worth approximately $6.4MM, half of Melton’s $12,822,000 salary.

Although Golden State could theoretically use that exception to sign a free agent to a one-year contract or to acquire (via trade or waiver claim) a player on an expiring deal, the team is less than $600K away from its hard cap, so taking on additional salary isn’t really an option at this point. Assuming the Warriors are granted a disabled player exception, they’d have to move off some salary to make use of it.

Melton’s $12.8MM expiring contract could also be used as a salary-matching piece in a trade prior to the February 6 deadline. If the Warriors go that route before using their disabled player exception, they would forfeit that exception.

Fischer’s Latest: Melton, Warriors, P. Williams, Lakers, Blazers, More

November 22nd, 2024 at 9:58pm CST by Luke Adams

With De’Anthony Melton out for the season, his $12.8MM expiring contract should become a useful trade chip for the Warriors, Jake Fischer said on Friday in his latest Bleacher Report live stream (video link). As Fischer acknowledges, Melton’s expiring money and Non-Bird rights will have little value on their own, but attaching draft picks or players to him could create an attractive outgoing trade package for Golden State.

Discussing what kind of player Golden State may target with that sort of package, Fischer suggests a frontcourt addition is a possibility. The Warriors had interest in Kelly Olynyk at last season’s deadline and believe he’d be a good fit for their system, according to Fischer, who adds that the club may also consider more of a rim-running big man.

However, Fischer wouldn’t be surprised if the Warriors seek out a more direct replacement for Melton. As he explains, Golden State was high on the veteran guard not only for his fit next to Stephen Curry but because he gave the team a second lockdown point-of-attack defender to complement Andrew Wiggins. Finding another player who could fill that role could be a priority for the front office.

Here’s more from Fischer:

The Bulls are “more willing than ever” to discuss forward Patrick Williams in a trade, says Fischer (video link). Williams is in the first season of a five-year, $90MM deal and continues to experience foot pain following a February surgery, so his value would likely be limited at the moment, but that could change if he shows he’s healthy and begins to produce more consistently.
Fischer continues to hear that the Lakers are scouring the market for a center, with Jonas Valanciunas‘ name still coming up frequently. The Wizards‘ big man is “definitely available for trade,” Fischer says (video link).
While Fischer also brought up Robert Williams as a possible option for the Lakers, he says he has talked to people around the league recently, including scouts, who believe the Trail Blazers may be more inclined to trade Deandre Ayton than Williams at this season’s trade deadline. Given that Ayton’s cap hit is nearly three times higher than Williams’, the Blazers may have a hard time extracting much of value for the former No. 1 overall pick.
Fischer suggests there are NBA veterans currently playing overseas or for national teams who will soon be looking to sign G League contracts (video link). Robert Covington, currently representing Team USA in AmeriCup qualifiers, is one player to watch, Fischer reports. There also may be some players returning stateside from the Chinese Basketball Association, since several who signed in China have received month-to-month contracts.
Writing for Marc Stein’s Substack, Fischer shared some ideas for in-season tournaments that the NBA considered before settling on the current format. One idea on the league’s “long list of half-baked ideas,” according to Fischer, was a 32-team single elimination event that would’ve included two marquee teams from Europe.

Western Notes: Jokic, Hachimura, R. Williams, Warriors

November 22nd, 2024 at 7:25pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nuggets got some very good news ahead of Friday night’s showdown vs. the defending Western champion Mavericks, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link), who says three-time MVP Nikola Jokic has rejoined the team and will be active on Friday against Dallas.

Jokic had missed Denver’s past three contests, having been listed as out for personal reasons. As Charania details, the superstar center and his wife welcomed a newborn son on Thursday night.

We have more from around the Western Conference:

Lakers forward Rui Hachimura is off the injury report and appears set to return on Saturday vs. Denver after missing four games due to a left ankle sprain, tweets Mark Medina of Sportskeeda. Rookie Dalton Knecht has thrived in the starting lineup over the past few games, but a new starting five featuring Hachimura won three games in a row prior to his injury. “My expectation is that Rui would stay in the starting lineup,” head coach J.J. Redick said, per Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. “He’s been awesome for us and I think for the group. … Whatever designation Dalton has, whether he’s coming off of the bench or as a starter, I don’t think his role changes at all. And I think for him mentally, there’s no effect to that. He’s just going to be the same guy. We have to, as a coaching staff, we have to be cognizant about getting him longer stretches on the court.”
In his first five games for the Trail Blazers this season, Robert Williams has provided a reminder of why he’s so valuable when healthy, averaging a career-high 10.8 points per game on 79.3% shooting while also contributing 6.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.2 blocks, and 1.2 steals in just 20.6 minutes per night off the bench. Williams, one of just two Blazers with a positive net rating, has long been viewed as a potential trade chip for Portland, but Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report (Substack link) wonders if there may actually be a stronger argument for the team keeping the big man, given how well he has fit. For what it’s worth, Bill Oram of The Oregonian (Twitter link) is strongly in favor of making Williams a trade chip, arguing it would be an “egregious dereliction of duty” not to move him.
With 13 players averaging between 11 and 30 minutes per game, the Warriors‘ approach to their rotation so far this season has been unprecedented, as Howard Beck of The Ringer writes. Even with De’Anthony Melton out for the season, head coach Steve Kerr is in position to deploy a 12-man rotation when everyone’s healthy, prompting Beck to explore whether that plan is sustainable and what Golden State’s ceiling might be.

Western Notes: DeRozan, Sabonis, Monk, Melton, Jenkins, Payton

November 21st, 2024 at 3:54pm CST by Luke Adams

Kings forward DeMar DeRozan intends to return to action on Friday vs. the Clippers after missing three games due to a back issue, reports NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link).

DeRozan may not be the only key player back on the court for the team in Los Angeles. According to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee (Twitter link), Domantas Sabonis (back) has fully participated in practice for the past two days, while Malik Monk (ankle) also took part in Thursday’s practice.

As Anderson relays (via Twitter), head coach Mike Brown said today that Monk – who is working his way back from an ankle sprain that was expected to keep him on the shelf through this weekend – will “most likely” remain inactive for Friday’s contest. However, Brown confirmed that DeRozan and Sabonis are “looking good” to return.

Here’s more from around the Western Conference:

Warriors guard De’Anthony Melton, who will undergo season-ending surgery on his ACL, is well-liked in the locker room and could be a candidate to return to Golden State next season, given that he should be available at a bargain price, writes Anthony Slater of The Athletic. “I know the imprint he’s already left on this organization,” teammate Draymond Green said. “He’ll have an opportunity to come back. Hopefully, he decides that’s the right thing for him.”
Taylor Jenkins secured his 215th win as the Grizzlies head coach on Wednesday to pass Lionel Hollins as the winningest coach in team history, per Clay Bailey of The Associated Press. “It’s an unbelievable honor to be among the company of so many great coaches that have come before me,” said Jenkins, who holds a 215-192 regular season record since being hired in 2019. “I always talk about the unbelievable responsibility to be the coach of this franchise. It’s a privilege and an honor.”
Appearing in his first NBA regular season game since April 2022, Elfrid Payton earned a start for the shorthanded Pelicans on Wednesday, notes Christian Clark of NOLA.com. Payton, who signed a non-guaranteed contract earlier in the day, made the most of the opportunity, contributing 11 points, eight assists, and five rebounds on 5-of-8 shooting in 22 minutes.

De’Anthony Melton To Undergo Season-Ending ACL Surgery

November 20th, 2024 at 7:27pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

After completing further testing on his injured left ACL, the Warriors have determined that guard De’Anthony Melton will require season-ending surgery, the team has announced (Twitter link).

The ailment had previously been diagnosed as a sprain, though the fact that it requires surgical treatment suggests it may be more significant.

Melton signed a one-year contract worth the Warriors’ full $12.8MM mid-level exception this past offseason. He will be a free agent again in the summer of 2025, having played all of six games for a surging Golden State squad.

As Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link) notes, Golden State can apply for a disabled player exception, which would be worth half of Melton’s salary (approximately $6.4MM). But because the Warriors are just $534K below their hard cap at the first tax apron, they would have to move off some salary to actually use a potential DPE.

The 6’2″ USC alum could potentially also be used as an expiring matching contract on the trade market, should the Warriors look to acquire a win-now roster addition to capitalize on their strong start to the season.

Melton averaged 10.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 20.2 minutes per game across those six matchups, posting a shooting line of .407/.371/.625.

At 10-3, the Warriors are currently the No. 1 seed in a crowded Western Conference. Melton, when healthy, had served as a core component of that early success. As The Athletic’s Anthony Slater notes (via Twitter), Golden State head coach Steve Kerr had anointed Melton as his preferred starting shooting guard next to All-NBA point guard Stephen Curry.

Lindy Waters III earned the starting two guard nod in Golden State’s most recent game, a 102-99 loss to the Clippers. Kerr could also explore elevating another recent free agent acquisition, microwave scorer Buddy Hield, or 2024 All-Rookie guard Brandin Podziemski.

Warriors’ De’Anthony Melton Diagnosed With ACL Sprain

November 14th, 2024 at 3:16pm CST by Rory Maher

Warriors guard De’Anthony Melton has been diagnosed with a sprained ACL in his left knee and will undergo additional testing, the team announced (via Twitter). A return timeline has yet to be established, but the 26-year-old will miss at least Friday’s game vs. Memphis.

It’s an unfortunate development for both Melton and Golden State. The former second-round pick had played well the past two games — both victories — starting in the backcourt alongside Stephen Curry, averaging 16.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals on .478/.500/.667 shooting in 26.6 minutes per contest.

While he was able to finish the game, Melton was limping late in the fourth quarter of Tuesday’s win over Dallas, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

Melton just returned to action last week after missing five straight games with a back strain. He was also hampered by back problems in 2023/24 for Philadelphia, causing him to miss 40 of the final 45 regular season games.

A versatile defender who contributes in multiple areas on the court, Melton will hit free agency again next summer after signing a one-year, $12.8MM contract with Golden State over the offseason. Gary Payton II, Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody are among the candidates for more playing time with Melton out.

Pacific Notes: Thompson, Melton, Leonard, Bamba, Monk

November 11th, 2024 at 11:58am CST by Arthur Hill

Before Klay Thompson decided to join the Mavericks in free agency, he met Warriors coach Steve Kerr for breakfast in late June, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Although Thompson had seen a reduced role in his final season with the team, Kerr assured him that the organization still valued him and wanted him to stay. However, Kerr was also honest about Thompson’s likely future if he re-signed with Golden State, which might include a full-time bench role.

“At the end of the breakfast, he said, ‘You know, I think it’s time. I think I’m going to go to Dallas,’” Kerr said. “I understood. I completely understood. Sometimes a fresh start can be healthy. I think it was the right decision for him.”

Thompson will return Tuesday night to the Chase Center, where he’s expected to receive a hero’s welcome. He’s still a beloved figure in the Bay Area for his role in helping the Warriors win four titles during his 13 years with the team. And even though there’s an acknowledgement that Thompson wasn’t fully happy last season, there’s also a strong bond with the city and his former teammates.

“This will be as emotional as anything we’ve ever experienced, I think, in my time here,” Kerr said. “I think it’ll be even more emotional than his return (from injuries) to play. Obviously now there’s a finality to it and appreciation for everything he did hanging the banners, helping get the arena built, just being so beloved by everybody.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Warriors guard De’Anthony Melton made his first start of the season in Sunday’s win at Oklahoma City alongside Stephen Curry, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green and Trayce Jackson-Davis, and Kerr plans to keep that unit together, Slater tweets. “I think it gives us a really good two-way lineup,” Kerr said. “You saw what (Melton) can do at both ends.”
The Clippers are developing an identity without Kawhi Leonard and should be able to ease him back into the rotation once he’s fully recovered from inflammation in his right knee, Law Murray of The Athletic states in an overview of the team’s surprising start. Murray adds that there haven’t been any concerns about Leonard’s progress, but the medical staff is being cautious so he won’t be in and out of the lineup when he does return.
Free agent addition Mohamed Bamba, who hasn’t played yet this season due to a knee injury, has progressed to three-on-three and five-on-five scrimmages, per Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. Coach Tyronn Lue indicated there’s a chance Bamba could be active during the Clippers‘ upcoming road trip.
Kings guard Malik Monk will miss tonight’s game with an ankle injury that’s still being evaluated, sources tell NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link). He had to leave Sunday’s contest in the first half after hurting the ankle.

Pacific Notes: Melton, Reddish, Bronny, Suns

November 9th, 2024 at 10:45pm CST by Arthur Hill

Warriors guard De’Anthony Melton said it felt “amazing” to be back on the court Friday night after missing five games due to a back strain, writes Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle. He was able to play 18 minutes, contributing 10 points, two rebounds and three assists as he moved right back into coach Steve Kerr‘s expanded rotation.

“Aggravation and they wanted to be cautious about it,” Melton said of the injury. “They just want to make sure I’m staying strong right now. Staying solid in terms of everything. Not worrying about necessarily being out there all the time, but the long haul.”

Melton experienced back pain while playing for Philadelphia last season and was unavailable for 40 of the final 45 regular season games. Golden State was aware of his physical issues when it signed him in free agency this summer, and the team’s medical staff is being careful in how it’s handling him.

“I’ve got a lot of trust in what they do,” Melton said, “and they’ve gotten me this far, so I’m in it.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Lakers coach J.J. Redick considers his starting lineup to be “fluid,” per Khobi Price of The Orange County Register, so any changes like Friday’s move to replace D’Angelo Russell with Cam Reddish may not be permanent. Reddish put up modest stats with three points and five rebounds, but he impacted the game on defense, particularly in his matchups with Paul George. “Every team is different, every coach is different,” Reddish said. “I just go out there and do what (Redick) tells me to do. In my past life, I was going out there doing what I wanted to do. That doesn’t necessarily work all the time.”
Several members of the Lakers showed up Saturday night to support Bronny James in his first G League game, according to Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. The group included Redick, general manager Rob Pelinka, Russell, Anthony Davis and of course Bronny’s father, LeBron James. He posted six points, three rebounds and four assists for South Bay.
Rookie Ryan Dunn could be coach Mike Budenholzer‘s choice to replace Kevin Durant in the Suns‘ starting lineup while he’s recovering from a calf strain, suggests Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Royce O’Neale is a more experienced option, Rankin adds, but Budenholzer seems to prefer using him off the bench. Rankin states that the injury could also result in more playing time for Josh Okogie, who made his season debut on Friday, and Bol Bol, who has yet to play this season.