“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,” said Steve Kerr when giving an update on De’Anthony Melton. The 26-year-old’s career has faced restrictions because of the injuries he sustained over the years. After playing for 3 different teams in 6 years, things looked different with the Golden State Warriors. However, in light of the ACL injury he sustained, the team is now setting Melton up to undergo season-ending surgery. Despite the concern from Steve Kerr and others, one question would be on the minds of many: Why surgery?

95.7 The Game’s Injury Analyst, Dr Nirav Pandya, had earlier given a diagnosis of what Stephen Curry’s recent knee injury could indicate. Now, he was back to provide his analysis of De’Anthony Melton’s ailment. According to the doctor, a combination of physical exams and MRI imaging diagnoses an ACL sprain. In cases of very minor sprains, you can expect the injuries to heal in a few weeks with rest and physical therapy. However, if you notice some major damage, even if the ligament is not torn, you need to take action.

“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,” he concluded.

Though it is not clear at what point it occurred, the Warriors star sustained the ACL injury during his team’s 120-117 win against the Mavericks last week. In the aftermath of the incident, Dr Pandya released a video that did a rundown of the issue. From the different levels of grades of injury that the physician highlighted, Melton seems to have avoided the worst. Despite this, he revealed that the person suffering from the ailment may not get a full sense of the injury’s seriousness with just an MRI scan.

Therefore, through scanning, Melton’s injury may not have looked so bad. However, after physical examinations and considering that he’s no average person but an NBA star, the team made the decision on the procedure that would sideline him for an extended period.

De’Anthony Melton’s absence would affect the Warriors. After all, the team reportedly brought in the player for his defensive skills. However, he also contributed efficiently on the offensive front, having made 10.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists over 6 games this season. A potential candidate for the fifth-man role in the team, the player’s time with the Warriors has come to a pause for now.

What happens after De’Anthony Melton’s season-ending injury?

The Golden State Warriors have quite a few players who can fill De’Anthony Melton’s gap. Amongst them is Lindy Waters III. The 27-year-old has played more games than Melton this season. Despite this, he hasn’t been scoring as efficiently, and averaged only 5.4 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.4 assists this season. But, he is the player whom Kerr chose to start in Melton’s recent 2-game absence.

Fortunately, Buddy Hield and Jonathan Kuminga may cover what Lindy Waters III lacks on the offensive front. With his 16.9 points average, and impressive shooting skills, Buddy proved the Warriors made the right decision in acquiring him. Meanwhile, JK has averaged 14 points over the last 13 games. Therefore, one cannot underestimate his role in the Warriors’ 10-3 win record. On the defensive front, we can depend on Gary Payton II.

The Warriors are not looking to make the same mistakes as the previous season. Fortunately, they have amassed an army of reliable players to cover for the one who doesn’t play well. With De’Anthony Melton getting sidelined for the rest of this season, Warriors fans will hope that he will recover soon, and continue being a part of the team in the future.