It's been a very quiet offseason for the Golden State Warriors, and I think the fanbase is just waiting for something, nay, anything to happen. One more under-discussed development that could still occur would be De'Anthony Melton re-signing with the team. If that ends up happening, it would have the potential to change a lot for this group.
Let's first recap exactly what's been going on with Melton since he first joined the Warriors back in July 2024. He only appeared in six games for the Dubs last season, starting twice, before suffering an unfortunate ACL injury. He ended up undergoing surgery to repair the torn ligament, ending his season.
Ironically, Melton was actually traded last December to the Brooklyn Nets in the deal that got Golden State Dennis Schroder... who didn't even remain with the Warriors through the end of the season. He of course didn't end up playing in a single contest for the Nets, and he remains unsigned as of this writing.
There's a seemingly strong possibility the Warriors could seek to sign Melton a second time, assuming his medical details check out and the team believes he's going to be able to play and produce at a solid level in the upcoming season. Should those items all come together, it's safe to say De'Anthony would be a pretty massive acquisition for this team.
De'Anthony Melton could hypothetically start for the Warriors
If you think I'm exaggerating, just listen to Steve Kerr's words after the news broke that Melton would undergo season-ending surgery last year. "It’s obviously terrible news, I feel so bad for De’Anthony," Kerr said. "He’s such a perfect fit for us and we were so excited to have him and he was clearly going to be our starter next to Steph. The good news is he’s a young guy and the surgery is pretty routine these days, so he should be able to come back and resume his career really well."
Thinking that Melton would come right in and start with no questions asked obviously isn't totally realistic. It's a guy coming off an ACL injury, so the coaching staff would have to handle the situation with caution.
But with that being said, if De'Anthony's up to the challenge and his body feels close to normal again, his skill is too valuable to pass up on. Melton is a solid shooter, point of attack defender, and as Kerr states, an excellent fit alongside Stephen Curry. Warriors fans were disappointed to lose him after just six games of watching him play, if that tells you anything.
If Golden State is able to sign De'Anthony Melton once again, they're going to have to at least consider the possibility of making him their starter alongside number 30 in the backcourt once again.