The Golden State Warriors were struck with devastating news on November 20 when it was announced that De’Anthony Melton, the team’s starting shooting guard, was set to undergo season-ending ACL surgery.
Shortly thereafter, Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer reported the Warriors plan to flip Melton’s one-year, $12.8 million contract into a valuable piece that can help them in the 2024-25 season. Despite Melton’s injury, several teams would be willing to take on his expiring contract if the Warriors attach draft compensation, per Fischer.
“Melton signed a one-year, $12.8 million contract as a free agent last summer. That is a good piece for salary-matching in a deal for Golden State, which will seek to upgrade its roster for another NBA Finals push with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green,” Fischer said.
Elsewhere, Clutch Points’ Brett Siegel reported that the Warriors could apply for a Disabled Player Exception (DPE) worth approximately $6.4 million, half of Melton’s salary, but could run into some challenges in using the exception on a player due to their hard-capped situation.
Warriors Trade Options for Melton
Regardless, the Warriors are not eligible to trade Melton before December 15. And if they do, here are three realistic options:
Warriors would get: Bruce Brown
Raptors would get: Melton, Kyle Anderson
Sir Charles In Charge’s Michael Saenz explained why Brown, a former NBA champion with the Nuggets, could be a critical 3-and-D piece for Steve Warriors’ Warriors.
“He’s a proven veteran with a championship pedigree who knows how to play any specific role effectively,” Saenz wrote of Brown. “If the Warriors are looking for that in a potential trade target, Brown could be their man. However, making a move for Brown could prove to be complicated considering the asking price (with Masai Ujiri on the other side of the phone) and his unsettled contract situation heading into the offseason.”
“Unless the Warriors are willing to make a move for Brown as a rental for the remainder of the season, he’d be much more of a risk than perhaps the Warriors are willing to take at this point.”
More Warriors Trade Scenarios
According to The Athletic, the Brooklyn Nets are open to shopping their entire roster ahead of the Feb. 6, 2025 trade deadline. As such, quality role players such as Cameron Johnson, Nic Claxton and Dennis Schroder could be there for the taking.
The Lead’s Tye Hooker argued Johnson should be atop the Warriors’ list, especially due to his playing style and ability to play both ends of the floor.
Warriors would get: Cameron Johnson
Nets would get: Melton, Gary Payton II, 2026 first-round pick
Is that a steep asking price for Johnson? Perhaps. But the Warriors could be forced to part with a lot of assets for a player such as Johnson, who was averaging career-highs in points (18.3), 3PM per game (3.3) and assists (2.9) through the first 18 games of the season.
The last Warriors trade option for Melton is a move geared at shoring up the Warriors’ perimeter defense. The big move would see Golden State acquire Marcus Smart, the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year, from the Grizzlies.
Again, the asking price could be a bit too steep, but a move that could eventually help Stephen Curry and Draymond Green edge closer to their fifth championship.
Marcus Smart, A Good Fit?
Warriors would get: Marcus Smart
Grizzlies would get: Melton, Payton II, 2026 first-round pick
Sir Charles In Charge’s Michael Saenz argued that Smart was a needed foil for the Warriors’ backcourt in light of Melton’s injury, especially due to Curry’s limitations as a perimeter defender.
“Smart could help take a ton of pressure off both Steph Curry and Brandin Podziemski defensively and would still be able to add a little offensive punch to the team,” he wrote.
“In the right system, you’d have to imagine that Smart still has one more strong run in him. He’s struggled during his time in Memphis over the past two seasons but maybe a change of scenery is exactly what he needs at this point in his career. The Warriors could provide him that with a big move at the NBA Trade Deadline.”
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