Three years have passed since the wild Memphis Grizzlies-Golden State Warriors second-round playoff series that had many pegging them as the rivalry to determine who wins the West for years to come. De'Anthony Melton was a key reserve guard in the series for the Grizzlies, scoring in double figures in three of their six games, which saw the Warriors win 4-2, leading to their fourth NBA championship season in eight years two series later.
However, the Grizzlies decided to part ways with him on the 2022 NBA Draft night, trading him to the Philadelphia 76ers for a first-round pick that became David Roddy and Danny Green. After spending two seasons with the 76ers, Melton signed with the Warriors last offseason on a one-year deal, along with his former teammate with the Grizzlies, Kyle Anderson.
His season ended just before the Warriors' first matchup against the Grizzlies after Melton suffered a partially torn ACL. He only played six games with the Warriors last season and was eventually traded to the Brooklyn Nets in a deal for Dennis Schroder. Now, Melton makes his return to arguably the Grizzlies' biggest rival, to the fanbases' dismay.
"Mr. Do Something" is officially a friend turned foe
The Grizzlies' trading of De'Anthony Melton was a surprise to the fanbase that enjoyed his energy off the bench. He received the nickname "Mr. Do Something" during his time in Memphis because of his propensity to affect the game on both ends of the court whenever he got an opportunity to play. He was the team's best defender and scorer in the backcourt off the bench.
His playoff performances left a lot to be desired, and his lack of effective ball handling as an undersized combo guard likely forced the front office to look elsewhere for backcourt bench production. Now, he returns to the Golden State Warriors ahead of the regular season, just months after they beat the Grizzlies in the play-in tournament for the seventh seed in the Western Conference playoffs.
Grizzlies fans have moved on as their new backcourt bench tandem of Scotty Pippen Jr. and Ty Jerome figures to yield good results for the new-look Grizzlies. However, seeing a former fan favorite on a rival is never easy, and they will likely see him in game action as the Warriors and Grizzlies are set to face off early in the regular season (Memphis' fourth regular season game).