The Golden State Warriors are finally getting one of their key guards back. After a full year on the sideline, De’Anthony Melton is expected to return Thursday night against the Philadelphia 76ers, the team he once started for.
Shams Charania reported that Melton is cleared for action and will make his season debut in Philadelphia. It marks exactly twelve months since his ACL surgery on December 4, 2024.
The timing could not be better for Golden State. Stephen Curry is out for the three-game road trip with a quadriceps injury. Ball-handling is thin. Defense is stretched. Guards who can compete at the point of attack are in short supply.
Melton brings all of that on Day 1.
Warriors Get a Key Piece Back at the Right Time
GettyDe’Anthony Melton of the Golden State Warriors in action.
Golden State signed Melton in the 2024 offseason to complement Curry and the team’s younger guards. Dribble pressure came right away. Spot-up shooting followed. So did a defensive presence the roster had been missing next to its stars.
The impact showed immediately. Golden State outscored opponents by 10.9 points per 100 possessions during Melton’s short six-game stretch before the injury. Lineups clicked. Roles fit. The backcourt finally had balance.
Then everything stopped on November 12, 2024, when Melton partially tore his ACL against the Dallas Mavericks.
His contract was later used in the trade that brought Dennis Schroder over from Brooklyn. But once Melton hit free agency, he returned to the Warriors on October 1 because both sides knew the partnership worked.
Now he is back at a moment when Golden State needs him the most.
Warriors Rotation Will Shift With Melton’s Return
Curry is out. Jimmy Butler, Jonathan Kuminga, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Quinten Post and Al Horford all hold questionable tags. Steve Kerr has been patching lineups together every night.
Melton gives them structure.
Brandin Podziemski, Buddy Hield, Seth Curry and rookie Will Richard have all been absorbing minutes. Pat Spencer just had an impressive showing against Oklahoma City. Among that group, Melton remains the most reliable defender. A healthy version of him changes matchups, reintroduces full-court pressure and takes comfort away from primary scorers. Opponents are forced into secondary actions far more often when he’s on the floor.
Golden State has been missing that type of presence since opening night.
He will be on a minutes restriction to start. That is unavoidable after a twelve-month recovery. But even a limited version of Melton helps stabilize the perimeter defense. It eases pressure on Podziemski. It stretches the rotation in a way that allows Kerr to go offense or defense without sacrificing spacing.
Golden State has been missing that flexibility.
Warriors Need Melton’s Defense to Settle Their Identity
Golden State sits at 11–11, a record that mirrors the inconsistency. Offense finds rhythm in stretches, but defense lags behind. Opponents get comfortable. Guards slip into the paint too easily. Schemes crumble once the point of attack gives way.
Melton was originally brought in to fix that exact problem.
Melton brings structure to the defensive end. He pressures the ball, communicates through screens and closes off passing lanes. Opposing sets rarely flow the same when he’s involved. A healthy version of him lifts the entire defensive standard.
Golden State could use that right now, especially with Curry sidelined. Melton fits seamlessly into their offense with shooting, timing and quick decisions. The ball keeps moving and spacing remains intact, which is critical for their system.
Those qualities help stabilize a position group that has been thin all season.
Final Word on Melton’s Return
There is no expectation that Melton walks in and saves the Warriors. Draymond Green already made that clear. This is not about one player flipping the season.
It is about getting a dependable guard back into the mix. His two-way impact helps both ends of the floor. Defensive structure tightens when he plays. Roles around the roster’s stars become simpler. Golden State showed its belief by bringing him back the moment he was cleared.
The Warriors will not have Stephen Curry on this trip. They may not have Butler, Kuminga, Horford or Jackson-Davis either. But for the first time in a year, they will have De’Anthony Melton back on the court.
Even on a minutes restriction, that matters.
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