Warriors Signing Named One of the Best Offseason Moves in the NBA

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SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 02: De’anthony Melton #8 of the Golden State Warriors dribbles the ball against the LA Clippers at Chase Center on March 02, 2026 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

The Golden State Warriors have struggled to win enough games this season. Right now, they sit 10th in the Western Conference standings. They seem destined to be bounced in the play-in after just one game. Injuries have taken their toll.

Jimmy Butler tore his ACL midway through the year and will miss the rest of the season. Stephen Curry has missed the last 21 games with a knee issue and has only played 39 games this year. It has been a frustrating year for a team that had title aspirations last summer.

Still, the Warriors were able to do one thing right before the year started. In fact, they were named to have made one of the best moves in the offseason.

Warriors Signing Was One of the Best Moves of the Offseason

According to Zach Kram of ESPN, the Warriors had one of the best moves of the offseason. He believes that the signing of De’Anthony Melton was one of the smartest moves. Golden State signed him in the offseason, coming off a torn ACL. They brought him back on a deal worth just $3.1 million.

Melton has the second-best net rating of anyone on the roster, sitting only behind Butler. He has been one of the best role players that Golden State has. ESPN has that transaction listed as the ninth-best one of the offseason. Melton is the best two-way backcourt player that they have without Curry in the lineup.

Golden State has the 19th-best offense in the league. That is mostly a product of the fact that Curry has missed the last few weeks. Without him or Butler on the court, the offense has no one who can reliably create their own shot. Those two players create so much gravity around them that it opens up the court for the other players, too.

Golden State is Already Focused on Next Year

Barring a massive upset in the play-in, the Warriors will be ending their season early. They are already focused on next season and trying to make moves that will keep their title window open. They are expected to be extremely active in the offseason.

Golden State is hoping to acquire another superstar in the offseason. With Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future murky in Milwaukee, he will be the first player they try to make a trade for. Milwaukee had the worst offseason transaction, so they are in need of a rebuild to move on from the Antetokounmpo era.

Butler likely won’t be ready to start next season, so they need a second star to pair with Curry for the first couple of months next year. Melton will fit in as a solid bench piece again, though he won’t be relied on as he has been this year.

Mike Dunleavy Jr. is going to have some tough decisions to make this summer once the season has finished. The cap is going to be a big issue for them, and how much luxury tax Joe Lacob is willing to pay will be a determining factor in who they can bring in.

Ryan Stano Ryan Stano covers the NBA and College Football for Heavy.com. He has been covering sports since 2017, covering the NFL, College Football, College Basketball, and the NBA. His work has been featured on Yahoo, Bleacher Report, FanSided, and Sports Illustrated. More about Ryan Stano