Warriors guard De’Anthony Melton has found himself a role in Golden State.
The 27-year-old not only is a major contributor on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball, but the eight-year NBA veteran has been a locker room leader to a Warriors team that is searching for answers without their star players, Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler, on the court.
“I look around, and I’m just like, ‘OK, this might be the time I have to say something,’ you know what I mean,” Melton said Tuesday on 95.7 The Game’s “Willard & Dibs” show.
“I’m one of the guys that’s a little older than most at this point, which is crazy to even say. But I just use my basketball knowledge to express how I feel about the game or what’s going on out there. I feel like I have a very good basketball mind and very high IQ, so I just try to relay that to the rest of the team and go see what’s going on.”
Despite only playing in 38 of the Warriors’ 69 games this season, Melton is averaging a career-high 13.1 points per game, with nine games scoring 20 or more points.
With several of Golden State’s veterans out of the lineup due to injuries, Melton has been a steady presence, especially with young players such as Brandin Podziemski and Gui Santos, who have been asked to step up in their absence.
Last offseason, Melton signed a two-year, $6.5 million contract to return to the Warriors coming off ACL surgery in December 2024.
The North Hollywood native has outplayed the value of his $3.45 million player contract option for the 2026-27 NBA season, raising uncertainty about his future with the Warriors. Especially with the leadership role he has acquired this season, Melton has been an important voice within Golden State’s locker room.
Melton has already expressed that he is not looking too far out regarding his future with the team, but it is certain that he will be in high demand if he hits the NBA free agency market during the upcoming offseason.
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