Steve Kerr’s fears come true. Just a few days ago, the HC resonated with De’Anthony Melton and his big setback. But unfortunately, the medical team’s decision will have the hoopster miss the remainder of the season. He’ll undergo surgery after spraining his ACL in the Mavericks game. The guard has played an average of 20.2 minutes per game for the Warriors coming off, to provide valuable minutes for the Bay Area side. Thus, the injury could dampen GSW’s offense with the team looking to bolster the squad.

They stay on top of the Western Conference with a 10-3 record. Yet, Melton’s injury could force Steve Kerr to scramble for immediate replacements. In Melton’s best interests, surgery remains the only option for the player’s long-term well-being. With a one-year contract of $12.8 million, the future looks bleak.

Several fans reacted to his injury and even called for him to be traded! It will certainly cause an issue for the Warriors who look to go on a championship run. The GSW coach, Steve Kerr, had already mentioned his concerns regarding Melton’s injury.

He detailed, “We’re obviously very concerned. 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.”

Fans also took to Instagram to voice their reactions about Melton’s injury and debate what it means for his future.

Fans foresee trade scenario after “big loss” in De’Anthony Melton’s season-ending injury!

“Man this is depressing he is the perfect player for this team, and was gonna have a very impactful season get well soon melton 🙏🏽🙏🏽,” one fan wrote, raising question marks regarding Melton’s road to recovery. ACL injuries are career-threatening injuries. Many players suffer from knee injuries and most players complain about the uncompromising schedule. The New Orleans Pelicans have eight players injured on their roster. So, you can just imagine!

Injury analyst Dr. Nirav Pandya clarified that surgery for Melton would’ve been necessary even if this wasn’t a tear. “This is where a combination of how unstable the knee feels on exam, the degree of damage on MRI, and how an athlete feels come into play. In addition the risk of further damage with playing NBA-level basketball is a consideration as well,” wrote Dr. Pandya.

“As significantly injured ACL does not “heal” on its own predictably without surgery, more substantial sprain injuries will sometimes go onto ACL surgery so that knee stability can be restored,” Dr. Pandya concluded.

Another user pointed out De’Anthony Melton’s influence on the team by stating, “Man that’s a big loss.” The 26-year-old shot 40.7% from the field and 37.1% from the 3-point line. He was an all-action player, contributing immensely to the defensive side of the game. Later, Steve Kerr recognized the player’s value and started him. The results were obvious. In those two starts, he averaged 16.5 points with 50% shooting from downtown. It’s incredible to see the player finally landing on his feet only for injury to take it away.

On the other hand, some fans had a wild idea of trading the player in place of another star. “Will warriors try to trade for another guard that can score and play defense like melton or get a center,” proposed one fan, wanting a trade.

The Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors have hovered around the Chase Center for some time now. While the community recently dismissed the idea of him joining the Rockets, some Warriors youngsters from Steve Kerr’s dynamic 12-man rotation could be traded to the Bucks for a potential trade. Jonathan Kuminga, potentially? It’s highly unlikely that De’Anthony Melton will leave, however.

“Podz its time to pack your bags,” this user wanted Brandin Podziemski to leave the franchise. Although he’s shown flashes of brilliance, Podz can’t get you titles, at least for now. Trading the Greek Freak, however, could become critical to the Bay Area franchise in winning a 5th NBA title for Stephen Curry. Would it happen? You need to wait and watch.

Hence, De’Anthony Melton’s news came in shocking for many. Let’s hope he has a smooth recovery process.