Just two games after being named Steve Kerr’s starting shooting guard next to Steph Curry, Golden State Warriors guard De’Anthony Melton has been ruled out for the season. Suffering what the team initially called an ACL sprain, Melton received further evaluations that determined season-ending surgery was the best path forward.

Via Warriors: “De’Anthony Melton, who has missed the last two games due to a sprained left ACL, underwent further testing to determine the extent of the injury. The tests indicated that it is in De’Anthony’s best interest to proceed with ACL surgery. He is scheduled for surgery in the near future and will miss the remainder of the 2024-25 season.”

Amid this injury news, Anthony Slater of The Athletic revealed a trade possibility for Golden State.

“But that doesn’t mean Melton’s contract isn’t a valuable chip come transaction season,” Slater wrote. “Expiring contracts, especially when attached to assets, are appealing to rebuilding teams or any franchise in the new apron world that is trying to generate future financial flexibility and can grab an asset in the meantime.”

Slater added, “Melton’s contract, attached to a draft pick, might be able to fetch a capable rotation player in January or February from a team like the Raptors or Nets. The Warriors also have a ton of other mid-sized contracts (Kevon Looney, Gary Payton II, Kuminga) to add to Melton as a building block to make any big or medium-sized deal happen.

While Melton’s expiring could be used to land Golden State a player that can contribute this season, the team may also opt to keep the 26-year-old guard in their organization. Re-signing him would not be out of the realm of possibility, as Slater also added in his article.