Warriors' Melton Braces for Another Season of Shifting Roles

De'Anthony Melton says the Golden State Warriors essentially fielded "three different rosters" last season due to a relentless wave of injuries. The guard, who re-signed with the team this summer, believes the turbulent experience that ended with a 37-45 record and a play-in tournament loss ultimately made him a more versatile player.

Melton's own season was a journey of recovery and adaptation. He missed the early months while rehabilitating from a torn ACL suffered in 2024, finally making his debut in December. According to Luca Evans of The San Francisco Chronicle, it took Melton about a month to find his shooting rhythm. By January, he had settled into an effective role as a scorer off the bench.

Further injuries to stars Jimmy Butler and Stephen Curry in February thrust Melton into the starting lineup as an off-guard. By March, his responsibilities expanded again to include more ball-handling and offensive creation duties.

"It was just tough," Melton said. "Trying to figure out what we needed as a team, and then what services me best as a player..."

Another Year of Uncertainty

The situation heading into the new season looks familiar. Jimmy Butler is still recovering from an ACL tear without a definite return date. The Warriors may manage Stephen Curry's minutes cautiously after a knee issue cost him much of the second half last season. Moses Moody is also working back from a torn patellar tendon.

This means Melton could face another year of constantly changing assignments. He is preparing for that challenge and aims to become more efficient in running the offense. "That's something I want to do," Melton stated. "And you should want more of a burden on you, on your shoulders. That's how valuable you are."

Niang's Long-Awaited Warriors Debut

Forward Georges Niang is finally set to make his Warriors debut nearly a decade after a brief stint with the team. Niang was in training camp with the 2017-18 championship squad but was waived before the season began. He recently signed a one-year deal with Golden State.

On the Not Even D2 podcast, Niang explained how that early cut shaped his career and why he chose to join the Warriors now. "I think it's the way that they play," Niang said. He highlighted the persistent threat posed by Stephen Curry, noting that opposing teams never feel safe, even with a large late lead. "There's been so many times where we've been up 15 or 16 against the Warriors in the fourth quarter with 2 minutes to go, and we're still like 'All right, the game's not over.'"

Green on Expansion and Tanking

In other team news, Draymond Green addressed the topic of NBA expansion on his podcast. Green argued that the dilution of talent from adding new teams is a concern for league executives and team management, but not for the players themselves. He also made a claim about widespread tanking, stating there were "13 teams tanking last year."

Curry's Future Considerations

Finally, Keith Smith of Spotrac has examined Stephen Curry's contract extension options. The analysis focuses on the financial mechanisms available to the Warriors as Curry considers how many more seasons he wants to commit to playing at the highest level.