“We’re obviously very concerned.” Steve Kerr was rightfully worried about De’Anthony Melton’s health after he sprained his ACL during the Mavs game last week. Well, this is Melton’s first year in the Bay Area, and he has become an integral part of Kerr’s rotation in a very short span. But we have not seen him on the court since the injury as he has missed two straight games. However, the latest update on the veteran guard’s health will only increase tensions in the Warriors camp as the head coach’s biggest fear has come true.

As per veteran insider, Shams Charania, Melton’s season has come to an early end as he will undergo surgery to repair his ACL. After he got injured, he underwent further testing to determine the severity of it. And the tests indicated that it was in his best interest to take a hiatus and undergo surgery.

Sure enough, that’s exactly what Steve Kerr was concerned about during his recent appearance on The Willard & Dibs show, “Any time you’re talking about an ACL… I had one in college and tore it completely and had surgery… it’s a serious injury, so we’re really taking our time and making sure De’Anthony gets all of the advice he needs.” Obviously, the Warriors are no stranger to dealing with ACL injuries as Klay Thompson missed over two seasons after he tore it during the NBA Finals five years ago.

Moreover, this is also devastating news for De’Anthony Melton because he just signed a $12.8 million contract to join the Warriors this summer and was adjusting well to the new dynamic environment. And he had won Steve Kerr’s trust from the very beginning!

De’Anthony Melton’s absence leaves a big void to fill for “Big Fan” Steve Kerr

When the Warriors signed Melton, they knew what they were getting themselves into. That’s because he missed more than half the season in Philly last year because of injury. However, the risk had been paying off so far as Melton was averaging 10.3 points and shooting 37.1% from deep. He had also turned Kerr into a fan with his versatile skills, “De’Anthony’s a really good shooter, but also a playmaker and gets in the mix on everything defensively. I’m a really big fan of De’Anthony and I really like the depth of our roster.”

Sure enough, Steve Kerr experimented with him in the starting lineup and got great results. But with De’Anthony Melton out for the season, the head coach will need other players to step up. Well, this is where Steve Kerr’s twelve-man rotation will come in handy.

Yes, the head coach adopted a new strategy this year, which has worked wonders for the Bay Area team, as they are 10-3 to start the season. Moreover, this means the Warriors have enough depth to make up for De’Anthony Melton’s absence, as players including Lindy Waters III and Gary Payton II could see an increase in minutes. So, the Golden State might be able to bounce back from this massive blow. As far as Melton goes, hopefully, he will have a speedy recovery and return at full strength next season.