Warriors Secure Payton II and Melton, Bolster Their Roster
The Golden State Warriors are reinforcing for next season. Gary Payton II and De’Anthony Melton join Al Horford, according to sources.
The agreements will be formalized after the final decision of restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga, who has until October 1st to accept the Warriors’ qualifying offer for next season.
In addition, the Warriors reached an agreement with second-round rookie guard Will Richard for a four-year contract, with two seasons fully guaranteed, according to agents Jared Mucha and Marcus Monk of Excel Sports Management, thus securing 13 players on the roster.
Both Payton and Melton were part of the Warriors’ roster last season. Melton, however, suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury that kept him out of action for most of the season. Subsequently, he was traded to Brooklyn, where he recovered from surgery.
For his part, Payton had his healthiest season since 2021-22, participating in 62 games with Golden State, as well as 11 playoff appearances. The 32-year-old player has been a reliable substitute for coach Steve Kerr since helping the team win the 2022 championship and, apart from a brief stint in Portland, has spent most of the last five seasons with the Warriors.
With a height of 6 feet 2 inches, Payton plays with more intensity than his height suggests, both on defense and offense, and is often used to finish plays near the basket.
Payton, son of Hall of Famer Gary Payton, is coming off a three-year, $26 million contract he signed with Portland in 2022.
When healthy, Melton, 27, is a versatile guard who can defend, space the floor, and create plays with the ball. He has struggled with injuries in recent years, having played only 44 games in the last two seasons.
