Apr 9, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard De'Anthony Melton practices before a game against the Detroit Pistons at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

New Warriors Signing Could Return to NBA Free Agency Next Year

Originally posted on Fastbreak on SI | By Justin Grasso | Last updated Oct 2, 2025 8:34 AM ET

De’Anthony Melton returns to the Golden State Warriors free of hard feelings.

Just last year, Melton was betting on himself with a one-year deal on the Warriors. He went down with an injury early on and eventually ended up in a trade to the Brooklyn Nets.

The sudden trade didn’t cause Melton to have a change of heart. As he became a free agent this offseason, Melton was quickly linked to the Golden State Warriors once again. He officially signed a deal with the Warriors earlier this week.

The Key Detail in Melton’s Deal

According to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, Melton has a player option for the second year of his contract. With the Warriors offering the veteran some flexibility, he could have a chance to hit the NBA free agency market for the second season in a row.

Update: De’Anthony Melton will have a second-year player option in his two-year, $6.5 million deal with the Golden State Warriors, league sources told @hoopshype. Melton averaged 10.3 points in six games for the Warriors last season before he suffered a partially torn left ACL. pic.twitter.com/UitOhYINzM
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) October 1, 2025

Health has been a concern for Melton before he tore his ACL just six games into his Warriors stint last year. During his second and final season with the Philadelphia 76ers, Melton played in just 38 games. He dealt with a back issue throughout the 2023-2024 season.

When healthy, Melton holds a lot of two-way value. He’s one of the better defensive guards, despite being labeled as undersized for his position.

During his third and final season with the Memphis Grizzlies, Melton averaged 10.8 points, while knocking down 40 percent of his shots from the field and 37 percent of his attempts from three.

In his first season with the Sixers, Melton appeared in a career-high 77 games with career-high minutes. He still averaged 10.1 points and shot 43 percent from the field, knocking down 39 percent of his threes. In the playoffs, Melton averaged 39 percent from deep, scoring 7.9 points per game.

Although his body has failed him lately, Melton’s production has remained consistent, even during his short time with the Warriors last year. In those six games with Golden State, Melton averaged 10.3 points, while shooting 37 percent from three. He proved to be a solid fit for the Warriors, and they hope that when he returns to the court sometime after the start of the season, Melton is a key contributor for the 2025-2026 season and beyond.

If not, there could be some suitors lined up for another free agency run.