The Golden State Warriors continue to rack up wins through the early part of the season, that despite losing De'Anthony Melton to a season-ending ACL injury.
Lindy Waters III has started next to Stephen Curry in the back-court following Melton's injury, but has far from secured his role in a shooting guard spot that remains a question mark for the Warriors moving forward.
The Warriors could try and reunite with Donte DiVincenzo
With Waters not exactly dominating and Steve Kerr not currently willing to go to youngsters like Moses Moody or Brandin Podziemski, Golden State's best option may be to fill the void left by Melton with a trade before the February 6 deadline.
If that's the case then the Warriors could look at someone they know fits their system in the form of Donte DiVincenzo. An elite three-point shooter who can handle the ball a little, rebounds very well for a guard and can be a rugged defender, DiVincenzo may be the most ideal Melton replacement who stands at a similar salary point.
But why would DiVincenzo be available so shortly after being part of the blockbuster trade that sent him to the Minnesota Timberwolves? Well according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints on Friday, DiVincenzo's lesser role in Minnesota could see him become a trade target for rival teams.
"The problem is that his role has fluctuated since arriving in Minnesota, and the Timberwolves are struggling at 8-7 overall," Siegel wrote. "Should tensions continue to rise, various teams around the league will be monitoring DiVincenzo's availability."
DiVincenzo had a strong season in his lone year with the Warriors, averaging 9.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists while shooting 39.7% from three-point range. Those numbers priced him out of Golden State being able to re-sign him, with the Knicks quickly signing him to a four-year, $46.9 million in free agency.
No one could have foreseen the kind of breakout year that came last season. DiVincenzo made the third-most threes in the league behind Stephen Curry and Luka Doncic, averaging 15.5 points on 40.1% from beyond the arc.
His move to Minnesota has seen a reduced role, with the 27-year-old's form suffering as a result. He's shooting just 34.8% from the field and 32.4% from deep, leaving some to wonder whether last season was just an outlier rather than a new norm.
Regardless, DiVincenzo is on an excellent contract and would hold significant value were he to become available. Given the uncertainty around their shooting guard position and the known quantity of DiVincenzo in their system, it would be worth the Warriors at least kicking the tyres on what a trade may look like.