Warriors got the biggest free agency steal of the entire NBA offseason

De'Anthony Melton continues to stake his claim as the biggest free agency steal of last offseason, putting in another huge performance during the Golden State Warriors' 136-116 victory over the Charlotte Hornets at Chase Center on Saturday night.

After a slow start shooting the ball upon his return from a long-term knee injury, Melton has quickly become everything the Warriors envisioned and all the while making only $3.1 million this season.

Warriors got huge free agency steal with De'Anthony Melton

That's undoubtedly one of the most valuable and team-friendly deals in the entire league, with Melton going for 19 or more points in four of his last six games despite remaining on a minutes restriction off the bench.

The 27-year-old broke his season-high in scoring again on Saturday against the Hornets, going for 24 points on 8-of-16 shooting from the floor, 3-of-6 from 3-point range and 5-of-5 from the free-throw line.

As a near 37% 3-point shooter for his career, there's no surprise that Melton's shot has come around after early struggles. What may be more surprising is just how incredible he's looked athletically, and most notably with his ability to explode to the rim off the dribble.

Melton also added six rebounds, three assists and one steal in just over 21 minutes on Saturday night, finishing as an equal game-high +24 in the 20-point win. Golden State are now remarkably +148 in Melton's 281 minutes over the last 15 games, coinciding with an 11-4 record and their best form of the season.

While Mike Dunleavy Jr. and the front office may currently face some criticism and pressure to ensure they get the Jonathan Kuminga trade right in the coming weeks, they do deserve some credit for the Melton signing in free agency.

There's no doubt that re-acquiring the 6'2" guard on essentially a minimum contract was always going to be worthwhile. The bigger credit should stem from the fact they clearly retained a relationship despite trading him to the Brooklyn Nets after his injury last season, allowing Melton to feel comfortable enough to return after initially joining the franchise on a one-year, $12.5 million contract in the 2024 offseason.

The Warriors may be enjoying the fruits of one of the biggest free agency steals in the league right now, but they will have to consider how they can keep Melton long-term given his form certainly warrants opting out of his $3.5 million option for next season.