The Golden State Warriors finished last season on weary legs and cruelled by Stephen Curry's strained hamstring, but they could be set for a major boost on the injury front ahead of opening night against the Los Angeles Lakers on October 21.
While no one on the current roster is coming off a long-term injury, the Warriors are likely to bring back De'Anthony Melton who is currently recovering from a torn ACL sustained in just his sixth game for the franchise last November.
Following his devastating injury that sent Golden State into a free-fall, Melton was of course moved to the Brooklyn Nets along with multiple second-round picks for Dennis Schroder (who was later part of the Jimmy Butler trade).
De'Anthony Melton could be ready for opening night against the Lakers
Not only is Melton expected to sign with the Warriors once more when Jonathan Kuminga's restricted free agency is resolved, but the added good news for fans is that the 27-year-old could be on track to return by opening night according to insider Monte Poole on the latest episode of the Dubs Talk podcast.
“What I heard was that he's (Melton) in the gym working out and the Warriors like where he is. Now, I don't know what that specifically means, but if he's working out, that's a good sign," Poole said. "The belief is that if he comes back to them, that it wouldn't take long for him to be on the court, and that they wouldn't rule out opening night.”
Melton's readiness for the start of the season would be massive for Golden State after his short but notable impact last year. It would also be ironic that his first game back in a Warrior jersey could be against the Lakers, with the pacific rival having reportedly had interest in the veteran guard at the start of free agency.
While his return from injury means it may be awhile until Melton pushes for a starting spot again, he will nonetheless play an important role in a rotation that needs his two-way skillset. Tim Kawakami of The Athletic recently stated that Melton was looking at a 20-minute per game role, but his importance is only set to grow stronger the more he plays after being limited to just 44 games over the last two years.
Melton is expected to sign on a veteran minimum deal, potentially making him one of the steals of the NBA offseason if he can return to full fitness and rediscover anywhere near the form we've seen when on the floor over the past few seasons.