De'Anthony Melton may still be another month away from returning from a long-term knee injury, but the Golden State Warriors already have a growing problem when it comes to the veteran guard.
The lack of perimeter defense was again on display for the Warriors during Saturday's disastrous loss to the Indiana Pacers, suggesting they could have an unhealthy reliance on Melton upon his long-anticipated return.
Warriors could have an unfair reliance on De'Anthony Melton when he returns
Jonathan Kuminga has earned plenty of plaudits for his improved defense to start the season, but the young forward hasn't got it done at the point-of-attack over the past two games. Golden State were perilous to stop former guard Ryan Rollins on Thursday against the Milwaukee Bucks, with the 23-year-old using his speed to repeatedly penetrate the paint on his way to a career-high 32 points and eight assists without Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The same could be said on Saturday where two-way contracted guard Quenton Jackson remarkably went for 25 points and 10 assists in 31 minutes -- easily the best game of his four-year NBA career to date.
Moses Moody had been slated to be Golden State's primary point-of-attack defender heading into the season, only for a calf injury during preseason to put a dent in those plans. Kuminga's offense and overall improvement means he's likely to remain with the responsibility, but the Warriors will need more consistency from the 23-year-old on the defensive end.
The other option is Melton when he returns from injury, with Golden State announcing earlier in the week that he'll be re-evaluated in three weeks as he nears the end of the long rehabilitation process.
Melton has earned a reputation as a capable perimeter defender when healthy. While the team's current point-of-attack issues presents a strong opportunity for the 27-year-old when he does return, it's also unfair to expect him to be the anecdote at least straight away.
Players returning from long-term concerns can often prove a step slower on the defensive side of the floor, with Klay Thompson proof of that from a Golden State perspective after being an All-NBA defender prior to his devastating leg injuries.
However, managing the expectations on Melton's defensive impact could still be difficult if issues persist on that side of the floor. The Warriors need to desperately avoid the sort of performances we've seen over the past two games, giving Melton the chance to return without too much pressure once he does make it back.