The Golden State Warriors and free agent guard De'Anthony Melton have agreed to a one-year, $12.8 million contract, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania. News of Melton joining the Warriors comes minutes after Klay Thompson officially decided to leave Golden State in order to join the defending Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks.
As a result of Thompson's departure, the Warriors are in uncharted territory as a franchise. Not only are the Warriors tasked with forming a new roster around Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, but the franchise is operating with financial flexibility for the first time in forever.
Melton, who is a valuable 3-and-D combo guard, now joins Curry in the backcourt after signing for what appears to be the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which will hard cap the Warriors at the $178.1 million first apron.
The 26-year-old guard joins the Warriors after previously spending the last two seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers. There, Melton averaged 10.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game over the last two years while shooting 37.9 percent from 3-point range.
His defensive versatility and shooting abilities are what make Melton a valuable addition for a Warriors organization scrambling to remain relevant in the Western Conference.
Unfortunately for Melton, he only played in 38 games this past year for the 76ers due to ongoing back issues.
Thompson's departure appeared to be inevitable over the last few weeks leading up to free agency, but now everything is surreal for the Warriors.
This will mark the first time since the 2010-11 season that Klay will not be alongside Steph and Draymond in a Warriors jersey, effectively ending what was one of the most dominant dynasties the NBA had seen since Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the 90s.
Just because Thompson is gone doesn't mean the Warriors are going to rebuild. That is why they made the move for Melton, bringing him in on a one-year contract that allows the franchise to compete while also maintaining financial flexibility heading into the next offseason.
De'Anthony Melton's role with Warriors
With the Warriors, Melton will likely fill the role of the team's sixth man behind Curry and Brandin Podziemski in the backcourt. This was the role that Golden State wanted Thompson to take for the 2024-25 season, resulting in the four-time champion looking elsewhere for starting opportunities.
Much like how the Warriors utilized Donte DiVincenzo a few seasons ago as a serviceable role player off the bench, Melton will fill a key scoring and defensive need in both the primary and secondary units.
Throughout his entire career, Melton has been a valuable secondary talent, as he has averaged 9.1 points and 3.7 rebounds per game while shooting 36.9 percent from 3-point range in six full NBA seasons.
Melton really burst onto the scene during the 2020-21 season when he played in 52 games for the Memphis Grizzlies, helping them knock off the Warriors in the Western Conference play-in tournament. The Grizzlies guard earned votes for Sixth Man of the Year the following 2021-22 season.
After averaging double-digit points in each of the last three seasons, Melton will now look to help the Warriors get back to the playoffs and maintain their status as real contenders in the Western Conference.
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