Warriors Role Player Could Be Cleared For More Minutes Soon

The Golden State Warriors are hanging on by a thread. Jimmy Butler is out for the season, Stephen Curry is dealing with a knee injury, and Draymond Green has been in and out of the lineup with back issues. On top of that, the Warriors haven’t had De’Anthony Melton and Al Horford in back-to-backs all season long. 

That may be about to change. As Melton progresses from his injury recovery, and with the Warriors needing him now more than ever, the team is considering having him play back to backs for the rest of the season. 

Warriors’ insider Monte Poole reported on the new status of Melton’s playing time. 

"Melton is getting closer to playing every game. Steve was basically saying there was a discussion about that before the game against the Pelicans and they decided 'We'll just stretch your minutes for this game and see how you feel tomorrow' and he didn't play against the Grizzlies. So I think Melton is really close to playing every game, back to backs too, but Al Horford is not going to be there back to backs."

Getting Melton back for every game would be huge for the Warriors. While Melton is by no means a star, he is one of the most impactful players on the Warriors roster. When he is on the court, the Warriors are better. So, with the team dealing with so many injuries, getting him on the court as much as possible is key. 

While getting Melton for back-to-backs certainly won’t change the Warriors' championship chances, it will help them stay competitive. It’s also a great sign for his recovery from a torn ACL last season. Either way, this is great news for the Warriors and Melton.