Warriors provide incredibly concerning update on status of key starter

The Golden State Warriors had provided very little information in the wake of De'Anthony Melton's ACL sprain against the Dallas Mavericks last Tuesday, and now we know the reason why.

Melton was injured in the fourth-quarter of that pulsating 120-117 victory in Klay Thompson's homecoming, and while he managed to play out the remaining few minutes, the 26-year-old hasn't been seen in the Warriors' two games since.

Steve Kerr has provided a concerning update on De'Anthony Melton

Head coach Steve Kerr has broken Golden State's silence on Melton's injury status, with the franchise having been rather quiet after announcing on Thursday that the six-year veteran would undergo further testing.

“He’s been seeking other opinions. We’ve really been evaluating everything just trying to get him the best advice he can get," Kerr told 95.7 The Game's Willard and Dibs on Tuesday. "And we’re obviously very concerned… We’re really taking our time and making sure De’Anthony gets all of the advice he needs.”

It's fair to say this is not a great update on Melton, particularly given that Kerr was happy to concede that the Warriors themselves are "very concerned." A timeline on Melton's recovery still hasn't been specified, suggesting that it could be months rather than weeks until we see him on the floor again.

It's particularly frustrating on multiple fronts, not least of all for Melton himself who has now played in just 14 of a possible 69 games since December 30 last year. He had been limited to only 38 games with the Philadelphia 76ers last season, having also seen a five-game stint on the sidelines earlier this month for a similar issue.

The timing of Melton's injury was also frustrating for Golden State given Kerr had just found a new starting five he was set to go forward with. Melton started two games next to Stephen Curry in the back-court, looking right at home with five threes in a 19-point, 10-rebound double-double in a big win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, before tallying 14 points, four rebounds and four assists against the Mavericks.

Lindy Waters III has since been the team's starting shooting guard over the last two games, but it remains to be seen or not that's the solution for Kerr going forward. The Warriors do have a number of options they can throw into that position, yet Melton was clearly the best and most effective two-way option available to them.