Siegel's Scoop: Inside look at Warriors' trade options to replace De'Anthony Melton

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Mike Dunleavy Jr. and his Golden State Warriors front office did a lot of number crunching in the offseason to put the Dubs in a position to find success during the 2024-25 season. So far, everything has gone according to plan, as the Warriors are 11-3 and sitting at the top of the Western Conference. At the same time, the depth Golden State has praised early on took a hit recently when De’Anthony Melton suffered a knee injury in the team’s 120-117 NBA Cup victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Nov. 12, which was also Klay Thompson’s return game.

After driving towards the rim on offense right before halftime, Melton appeared to slip and fell to the court hard. The 26-year-old guard grabbed at his left knee but remained in the game and played in the second half against Dallas. It was later revealed by the team that Melton suffered a sprained left ACL and would undergo further testing to determine his status moving forward. On Wednesday, Golden State announced that Melton would undergo season-ending surgery to address his ACL injury.

Although Melton and the team explored all the possibilities to avoid surgery, it was deemed that having his ACL repaired and missing the remainder of the 2024-25 season would be the best possible route to avoid long-term effects. Ahead of their 120-97 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, head coach Steve Kerr expressed his disappointment in Melton’s injury.

“I feel so bad for De'Anthony," Kerr told reporters. "He's such a perfect fit for us and we were so excited to have him. He was clearly going to be our starter next to Steph."

The main reason Golden State pursued Melton was due to his two-way abilities that could provide a boost as a starter or sixth man. Not to mention, he was always an avid three-point shooting threat who would open up more space on the court for Stephen Curry. Now, all of the Warriors’ plans to utilize Melton as their utility guard have been thrown out the window as a result of his ACL injury.

Where the Dubs go from here is a very intriguing topic, especially considering they were not shy on the trade market in the offseason. Dunleavy sought to bring in both Paul George and Lauri Markkanen, two stars who would’ve undeniably shifted the balance of power in the Western Conference.

Despite the Warriors’ unwillingness to include major parts of their young core in trade talks during the summer, this is still an organization that is going to remain aggressive in their pursuit of talent that can help bring a fifth championship to the Bay Area since 2015. Since Melton’s injury, it has been Lindy Waters III who has stepped up in the starting line. But while Waters has played well for Golden State, this is just a temporary switch that Kerr has made.

As of right now, there is no panic in San Francisco. This team has proven to be one of the best in the West, and the Warriors still have plenty of depth to utilize with their young core of Brandin Podziemski, Jonathan Kuminga, and Moses Moody. However, as we look ahead to the future, the Dubs have become one of the most interesting teams to discuss pertaining to trades that could be made — now more so than ever with Melton out for the year.

De’Anthony Melton’s injury leads to Disabled Player Exception

As a result of Melton going down with a season-ending ACL injury, the Warriors have the ability to apply for a Disabled Player Exception (DPE) that would be worth approximately $6.4 million, half of Melton’s salary for the 2024-25 season. That is exactly what the organization plans to do, league sources confirmed to ClutchPoints.

With this DPE, assuming the league approves of it, Golden State will be able to seek a replacement player for Melton either through free agency, claiming a player off waivers, or acquiring a player with an expiring contract in a trade. The only catch, especially regarding using this DPE in a trade several weeks from now, is that the Warriors would take on a new player’s salary plus an extra $100,000 due to rules regarding these exceptions.

To understand why this significantly limits the Dubs, we must evaluate the team’s cap situation. Due to the sign-and-trades made involving Buddy Hield and Kyle Anderson this past offseason, Golden State is hard-capped at the first apron, which is $178.1 million for the 2024-25 season. Melton being injured and applying for a DPE doesn’t take his cap figure off the board for the organization, which means the Warriors have roughly $177.6 million in total cap allocations. Only roughly $500,000 stands between them and the first apron hard cap.

There is virtually no path in which the Warriors could use a new $6.4 million DPE to fill Melton’s spot on the roster without exceeding the hard cap, which leads to questions about if his “dead cap figure” as a result of his ACL injury now becomes a trade exception in itself.

Of course, Melton can’t be traded until Dec. 15 because he recently signed with Golden State. In under a month, Melton will be eligible to be traded, giving the Warriors a $12.8 million trade buffer to look around the league with and possibly package together with other assets to make a roster upgrade. After all, he is set to be an unrestricted free agent again in 2025, so teams that are not in playoff positions could be more apt to take on Melton’s expiring contract should they be able to get draft compensation from Golden State.

Perhaps there is a scenario where the Warriors could lower their overall payroll by trading Melton for a player making significantly less money than him. Should another player’s contract fit into this $6.4 million DPE that they are likely to receive from the NBA, Dunleavy and the Dubs’ front office would be able to create a traded player exception for Melton’s outgoing salary, one that could be utilized next offseason.

But the conversation to be held for the Warriors approaching the month of December revolves around what this season’s trade market will ultimately look like. Stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jimmy Butler, two players the Warriors hold strong interest in, have been mentioned as possible “home-run-like” talents to hit the trade market. Yet the market for star players is still linked to those like Zach LaVine and Brandon Ingram, former All-Stars with heavy-hitting contracts. It is highly unlikely either Antetokounmpo or Butler end up being made available before the trade deadline, sources said.

Given the financial situation of teams around the league, a handful of which are hard-capped at the first apron, league personnel are projecting the trade deadline to revolve around impactful secondary talents such as Cam Johnson (Brooklyn Nets), Nikola Vucevic (Chicago Bulls), Bruce Brown (Toronto Raptors), and Jordan Clarkson (Utah Jazz), to name a few. Could any of these players be on Golden State’s radar in the wake of Melton’s injury?

Melton has already formed strong bonds within the Warriors organization. His exuberant energy on the bench and in the locker room has helped restore the positive atmosphere that has surrounded this franchise during their championship runs over the last decade. A decision to move Melton, especially when he could come back in free agency next year, could certainly rustle some feathers. Then again, competing for another title takes precedence over anything else, and the Warriors will have options to consider in the trade market.

Warriors’ trade market approach

Owner Joe Lacob and Dunleavy have made it abundantly clear that the Warriors won’t be making any trades or giving up any of their youth just for the sake of striking a deal. The general consensus within the organization was that the price tags attached to both George and Markkanen during the offseason were too steep, which resulted in no trades being made.

After all, the Warriors have always valued their youth over sacrificing assets and going “all in” by making a trade.

This philosophy still exists, and Melton’s injury isn’t going to change anything for this franchise. However, his contract can now become useful in terms of the Warriors attempting to match salaries in any trade scenario they may pursue. Having $12.8 million that could be included in discussions is valuable since it is essentially an exception that can be used through the trade deadline.

If you ask Kerr, or anyone on the team for that matter, the answer to what Golden State needs will remain constant: “Nothing.”

Outside of the organization, chatter among Western Conference personnel in regards to the Warriors is their lack of size. Trayce Jackson-Davis and Kevon Looney are both 6’9″, and Draymond Green is 6’6″. Other than rookie Quinten Post, who is on a two-way contract, no player stands taller than Jackson-Davis or Looney. Although they lack size, the Warriors have always been among the best rebounding teams in the league.

Last season, Golden State ranked first in total rebounding, fourth in defensive rebounding, and fifth in offensive rebounding. Crashing the glass has always been a staple on both ends of the court for the Warriors, and so far this season, the same trend has continued. Through 14 games, the Dubs rank first in rebounding, second in defensive rebounding, and fourth in offensive rebounding.

There is not a clear need for the Warriors to seek frontcourt help, and both Looney and Green have stepped up in big moments over the years. It never hurts to have extra depth, though, which leads to a handful of possible players this organization could target at the center position.

Kelly Olynyk, ($12.8M), Robert Williams III ($12.4M), and Jonas Valanciunas ($9.9M) are the three predominant names front office personnel are labeling as the most likely big men around the league to be on the move before the trade deadline, sources said. Olynyk and Valanciunas are two players the Warriors have scouted in the past. Whereas Olynyk and Melton have almost identical contracts, both Williams and Valanciunas own slightly smaller contracts. All three big men could hypothetically be moved in a package for Melton’s expiring deal.

Each big also finds themselves in unique situations.

Olynyk, who has yet to play this season due to a back injury, is under contract through the 2025-26 season. His ability to stretch the floor, shoot threes at a respectable rate, and be a secondary facilitator at the top of the arc makes Olynyk a valuable secondary talent. Both Williams and Valanciunas are more traditional, bruiser-like big men that spend most of their time in the paint.

While Valanciunas can also step out on the perimeter to knock down shots and is more of an offensive threat at the center position, Williams made his name known with the Boston Celtics by being one of the league’s best rim protectors. The only reason Williams’ name hasn’t been mentioned more is due to multiple knee injuries he has suffered through the years. When healthy, the 27-year-old can immediately bolster his team’s defense.

Out of the three big men, Williams is expected to hold the biggest market. The Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans, and Sacramento Kings have held interest in the Portland Trail Blazers’ big man dating back to the offseason.

Other frontcourt options exist around the league. Isaiah Stewart, Larry Nance Jr., and Vucevic are interesting names expected to hear their names on the trade block between now and February. Nance, a respected veteran around the league, brings toughness and leadership at the power forward position, and he is only making $11.2 million in the final year of his contract. Stewart and Vucevic would be tough targets for the Warriors given that they make $15 million and $20 million this season, respectively.

The Detroit Pistons are expected to entertain offers for Stewart this season, sources said. At the same time, the organization still values his production off the bench, and the 23-year-old finds himself on a very favorable four-year contract that is just beginning.

Vucevic, on the other hand, is a player the Chicago Bulls will easily move on from if they can add future value. Between his rebounding and three-point shooting, the veteran big man would obviously be a solid offensive fit with Golden State. But his defense has been a primary issue at times in Chicago, and even if Golden State utilized Melton’s contract, it would likely still take either Looney or Gary Payton II to get this deal done.

League personnel believe Vucevic will be one of the biggest names on the move at the trade deadline. The veteran’s expiring $20 million contract and strong offensive start to the season in Chicago make him a valuable asset to a playoff-contending team in need of frontcourt help.

It is unlikely that the Warriors would even consider him given that he’s 39 years old and has barely played over the last year, but PJ Tucker is a player the Los Angeles Clippers would like to move for value before the trade deadline. Again, this is just an option that works financially IF the Warriors were to seek talent using Melton’s contract as leverage. Do not anticipate Tucker being a realistic option.

Outside of the frontcourt, a variety of notable players will find themselves on the trade block. The Brooklyn Nets have Dorian Finney-Smith, Dennis Schroder, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Cam Johnson. These four players once again find themselves available in trade talks, with Johnson being right next to Vucevic as one of the better players available. While the 28-year-old would fit in well with Golden State, his $23.6 million cap figure for this season would be awfully hard to reach and remain under the first apron hard cap.

Finney-Smith is the much more likely option for the Warriors as a 3-and-D wing making $14.9 million, but even pursuing him would cause problems. A potential trade for Finney-Smith would result in Golden State having to give up at one other player with Melton to remain under the hard cap, which would then cause the Warriors to have under the minimum 14-player roster requirement. Any scenario involving the Nets would likely be a multi-team trade, source said, with Brooklyn looking ahead to future years and wanting to add draft picks ahead of the trade deadline.

Donte DiVincenzo, Jordan Clarkson, Matisse Thybulle, and Pat Connaughton are worth mentioning in connection to the Dubs, seeing as they all make less than what Melton is earning this year. Other than Connaughton, none of these players are viewed as definite trade candidates for any team this season.

The Minnesota Timberwolves just acquired DiVincenzo in their blockbuster Karl-Anthony Towns trade with the New York Knicks, and head coach Chris Finch is very fond of the combo guard’s abilities on both ends of the court. The problem is that his role has fluctuated since arriving in Minnesota, and the Timberwolves are struggling at 8-7 overall. Should tensions continue to rise, various teams around the league will be monitoring DiVincenzo’s availability. He was a player the Warriors really wanted to keep before he signed a four-year deal with the Knicks in 2023.

If Connaughton was on the Warriors’ radar in trade talks, it would be in a multi-team deal that the Milwaukee Bucks are looking to make. It is no secret to anyone around the league that the Bucks are desperately looking to add depth and length on the wing, and Connaughton’s $9.4 million contract is one of Milwaukee’s only paths to potentially adding talent since they are a second apron team and can’t aggregate salaries.

A total of 11 weeks stand between now and the NBA trade deadline in February. Much is set to change around the league, including the standings, which is why a new grouping of players will eventually become available. The Warriors are in no rush to change their roster in any way after news of Melton’s injury, and the front office will carefully be evaluating all of their options heading into 2025.

Other news and intel from around the NBA: 

Denver Nuggets: It is extremely unlikely that Denver would consider moving any of their core. Michael Porter Jr.’s name has been floated around in pointless “rumors” early on this season that are nothing more than fans hitting the online trade machine. The Nuggets won a championship with this core group, and they still believe this group can win another. Zeke Nnaji and his $8.8 million contract is likely the only path the Nuggets have to possibly adjust their roster.

Memphis Grizzlies: The emergence of Scotty Pippen Jr. and rookie Jaylen Wells has league personnel wondering if the Memphis Grizzlies would consider moving former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart, sources said. Smart has one more year left on his contract after this season and occupies a near-$20 million salary slot that the Grizzlies could utilize to add another high-profile player. Smart has struggled to remain healthy since joining Memphis, and he is only shooting 30 percent from the floor this season.

Milwaukee Bucks: No team has shown interest in making a deal with the Milwaukee Bucks at this time. MarJon Beauchamp ($2.7 million) and Pat Connaughton ($9.4 million) are the two players the Bucks have made available in trade discussions in order to try and add talent on the wing. Veteran forward Torrey Craig from the Chicago Bulls is a player Milwaukee has shown interest in, sources said. Rival teams would much rather discuss Bobby Portis if he was to become available before the trade deadline.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Donte DiVincenzo is being viewed as a possible trade candidate for several contending teams around the league, sources said. While the Timberwolves value DiVincenzo’s skillset, the 27-year-old combo guard was not thrilled with the idea of coming off the bench after being traded. For a second apron team like Minnesota, moving DiVincenzo could help create a little bit of flexibility and a path to moving out of the second apron next offseason. Right now, there are no indications that the Timberwolves will want to move their newly acquired guard.

Orlando Magic: League personnel are watching the Orlando Magic closely due to their abundance of youthful talents and future draft picks. After getting Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in free agency and sustaining success with Paolo Banchero sidelined, the Magic are in a position where they can pursue immediate offensive help in trade discussions. Cole Anthony, Jett Howard, and Caleb Houstan are players that can be packaged with draft assets to help Orlando make a big splash. Keep a close eye on Cam Johnson emerging as a key target for the Magic.

Washington Wizards: Kyle Kuzma will again be on the trade market with an asking price that has not changed for the Washington Wizards. Last season, the Wizards were seeking multiple first-round picks, source said, a price no team was willing to meet for the 29-year-old. Expanded roles for Corey Kispert, Bilal Coulibaly, and rookie Bub Carrington may drive Kuzma’s price down over the next several weeks.

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