The Warriors made their choice this offseason, and it says plenty about how they want to build around Stephen Curry.
Golden State passed on a backcourt swing for Anfernee Simons and instead committed to De’Anthony Melton, a move that came down to fit as much as talent. According to Anthony Slater at ESPN, the Warriors viewed Melton as the better match next to Curry, even though Simons eventually landed with the Philadelphia 76ers on a similar deal.
That decision fits the way Curry works best. He thrives when the player beside him can defend, connect the offense, and keep the floor moving without needing the ball to dominate every possession. Melton checks those boxes more cleanly than Simons, who brings more pure scoring punch but doesn’t come close to matching Melton’s defensive value.
Melton also earned the trust to get that contract in the first place. After tearing his ACL in 2024-25, he came back with a strong bounce-back season and gave Golden State the kind of two-way backcourt presence it had envisioned. He wasn’t fully right for much of the year, but he still averaged 12.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.6 assists while shooting 29.4% from 3-point range in 49 games.
Simons offered a different kind of appeal. Across his time with the Boston Celtics and the Chicago Bulls last season, he put up 14.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists while hitting 38.5% from deep.
That’s the cleaner offensive profile, the more obvious bench scorer. But Golden State clearly valued Melton’s defense and Curry-friendly style more than Simons’ extra shot-making.
Still, this is where the gamble comes in. Melton’s health has been a real issue, and his availability over the last few seasons raises the stakes. He has played just 93 games over the past three seasons between Philadelphia and Golden State, and there were stretches last season when he didn’t look fully sharp.
The finish to the regular season wasn’t especially encouraging, either. Over his final 13 games, Melton averaged 10.4 points and shot 38.9% from the field.
So the Warriors are betting on the version of Melton they believe fits best beside Curry, not the one who flashed inconsistently last season. It’s a sensible basketball decision. It’s also a bet that has to pay off in 2026-27.
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For Golden State fans, Looneys move now sits in an awkward light, because the Lakers appear to be rethinking the very addition that was supposed to stabilize them. Kessler carries the bigger burden as the headline acquisition, but the pressure on him to stay healthy and justify the investment is only growing as the center market thins and the Lakers keep looking for another answer. [Read more 🡒]