Getty Warriors head coach Steve Kerr.
The Golden State Warriors had one of the best summers in the NBA, both in the aggregate and on a player-specific basis.
Kevin Pelton of ESPN offered the Dubs a B+ offseason grade, despite losing Klay Thompson inside the Western Conference to the Dallas Mavericks. The primary reason for Pelton’s optimism around the Warriors’ moves is the addition of De’Anthony Melton.
“The Warriors appear to have improved both their roster and their cap sheet,” Pelton wrote on Thursday, July 25. “If 3-and-D standout De’Anthony Melton can stay healthy after missing 44 games last season with the [Philadelphia] 76ers, he’ll be one of the summer’s best additions, while Buddy Hield helps replace Thompson’s shooting and Kyle Anderson brings a versatile skill set to the Golden State bench. The three players combined will make more than $30 million less than Thompson’s previous $43 million salary.”
Melton inked a one-year deal with Golden State for $12.8 million on July 8 via the team’s non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
De’Anthony Melton Has Potential to Start for Warriors
GettyDe’Anthony Melton of the Golden State Warriors.
Melton averaged 26.9 minutes per game last season. His playing time and production could spike in Golden State depending on the decisions head coach Steve Kerr makes with the starting lineup.
Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report has projected Melton to serve as the backup point guard to Stephen Curry. That scenario, however, leaves Golden State’s starting lineup starved for shooting with Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga and Draymond Green slotted at the two forward spots and the center position, respectively. Second-year shooting guard Brandin Podziemski would round out the lineup alongside Curry in the backcourt, per Buckley’s configuration.
Melton is a combo guard and ran the point as a backup for the Memphis Grizzlies during the first three years of his career. He has the ball-handling chops to fill in for Curry when the Warriors star is on the bench but can probably be more effective in the starting lineup where he can offer elite defense as well as a 3-point threat alongside Curry.
Melton shot 39% on 5.2 attempts from behind the arc and 36% on 5.6 tries per game in the past two seasons, respectively, according to Basketball Reference. For his career, Melton is a 36.9% shooter from the 3-point line on 4.1 attempts per game. He’s also averaged double-digit points in each of the past three campaigns, posting a career high 11.1 per contest in 2023-24.
Furthermore, Melton has been well above average as a defender during his professional tenure. He posted defensive ratings of 112.6 last season and 111.0 the year prior. Those numbers were 3.5 points and 4.6 points better than the league-average defender per 100 possessions, according to StatMuse.
Warriors Remain in Trade Talks for Lauri Markkanen of Jazz
Getty Lauri Markkanen of the Utah Jazz dunks over Jonathan Kuminga of the Golden State Warriors during an NBA game.
Hield’s shooting, Anderson’s playmaking and what Melton brings to the Warriors on both ends of the floor, potentially as a starter, may not be all the team has added to its arsenal by the time the offseason is through.
“As a leading contender to trade for Lauri Markkanen should the [Utah] Jazz choose to move him, the Warriors might not be finished,” Pelton added on Thursday.
There has been little in the way of new information on trade discussions between the Dubs and the Jazz since Shams Charania of The Athletic reported on July 15 that the two sides had reached an impasse on a return for the one-time All-Star and offensively versatile 7-foot playmaker.
“League sources tell The Athletic [the Warriors] have discussed a proposal around Moses Moody, multiple first-round picks, multiple pick swaps and multiple second-round picks,” Charania wrote. “The Jazz, however, have asked for the bulk of young talent and capital the Warriors possess, including Moody, Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski, along with picks, which has been a non-starter thus far for Golden State, league sources said.”
The highest expectations for the Warriors among league insiders with their current roster construction is an outside shot at a home playoff series in Round 1, assuming injury luck and other relatively uncontrollable factors break their way.
However, adding Markkanen as a true co-star alongside Curry could move the needle enough to put Golden State back into serious contention at the top of the Western Conference.