Top NBA Free Agent SGs After De'Anthony Melton, Gary Payton II News

For months, this seemed like an obvious move for the Warriors. Payton has kept in contact with his veteran teammates, including Steph Curry, who vouched for a return for the veteran.

Although the Warriors traded Melton last year after he went down with an injury, it was clear from the jump that the Warriors still had interest in the two-way standout. After his contract expired with the Brooklyn Nets, Melton was linked to the Warriors once again.

The Jonathan Kuminga stalemate has prevented free agents from signing with the Warriors back in July. With camp coming up, the Warriors have mutually agreed to commitments with players now that Kuminga’s deadline for his qualifying offer is approaching.

That brings two top shooting guards off the free agency market.

Top Free Agent Shooting Guards Remaining

Malik Beasley

A gambling investigation derailed a major offseason for Beasley. After competing for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award, Beasley was on pace to earn a major multi-year offer, exceeding $40 million. With a possible punishment in place, Beasley remains unsigned at this point. Once teams get clarity on the NBA’s investigation, Beasley could come off the board quickly.

Last season, he averaged 16.3 points while shooting 42 percent from three with the Detroit Pistons.

Quentin Grimes

Similar to Kuminga, Grimes is a restricted free agent who might end up signing the qualifying offer. The Sixers want Grimes back, but haven’t met his asking price, which remains as high as it was back in July. Grimes just had a hot streak with the Sixers after getting traded by the Dallas Mavericks at the 2025 deadline.

Alec Burks

Since 2011, Burks has played for many teams. His most recent run with the Miami Heat included 49 appearances with 17.6 minutes of action per game. Burks produced 7.3 points per game, while shooting 43 percent from beyond the arc. At 34, Burks could be a valuable pickup for limited bench minutes.

Seth Curry

Similar to the two guards the Warriors just committed to, Curry is expected to join Golden State for the upcoming season, but he has to wait until Kuminga is squared away. For the time being, any team on the hunt for a veteran sharpshooter should look into Curry.

The 35-year-old spent the 2024-2025 season with the Charlotte Hornets, appearing in 68 games. He knocked down threes at a 46 percent clip, which marked a career-high. The veteran averaged 6.5 points per game.