Guard De'Anthony Melton. Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Warriors agree to sign veteran guard after Klay Thompson departure

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated Jul 1, 2024 3:50 PM ET

The Golden State Warriors are acting quickly after losing Klay Thompson.

The Warriors agreed to a one-year deal with veteran guard De’Anthony Melton, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Free agent De'Anthony Melton plans to sign a one-year, $12.8 million deal with the Golden State Warriors, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. pic.twitter.com/LfBenYVJ7T

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2024

Melton is not exactly a direct replacement for Thompson, and might actually fill Chris Paul’s role more than anything else. The veteran guard is seen as a solid defender and a good all-around player, though not necessarily a scorer or perimeter shooter. He played in 38 games last season with the Philadelphia 76ers in an injury-hit campaign and averaged 11.1 points in 26.9 minutes per game while shooting 36 percent from three-point range.

The agreement comes not long after Thompson officially picked his new team, though the Warriors will still have to work out a sign-and-trade agreement. Adding Melton is a nice move, but it probably is not the last thing Golden State will look at.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: