The Golden State Warriors are at risk of losing guard De’Anthony Melton this summer, as their ability to re-sign the guard might depend on four-time champion Draymond Green.
The forward has a $27 million player option for the 2026-2027 season, and if he opts in, the Warriors will be up against the tax apron, leaving them hard-pressed to make any significant moves.
This could spell trouble regarding Melton’s stint with the Dubs. Melton is averaging a career-high 13.0 points per game this season, while primarily coming off the bench. He has a player option for the next season, but is expected to opt out after his recent comments during a podcast appearance.
Speaking on Thursday’s episode of “Steiny and Guru,” Melton expressed what he expects out of his next contract.
“I’ve been in this league a decent amount of time,” Melton said. “So, eight years is a lot of time. I’ve put in a lot of time and effort and work into this. I think that should be rewarded and I think, for anybody, you put in that much time, effort, work and you’ve seen the results and you’ve seen how impactful you are and what you have done, like I said, you want to be rewarded for that.”
Draymond Green’s player option for 2026-27 will have a significant impact on the Warriors’ offseason dealings. If he opts in, the team might find itself unable to retain Melton or Kristaps Porzingis.
De’Anthony Melton still believes in the Warriors’ playoff chances despite injuries to Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler
The 2025-26 season has been hampered by injuries for the Golden State Warriors, with them losing Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody to season-ending injuries. Steph Curry has also missed the team’s last 23 games with a runner’s knee, seeing the Dubs fall to 10th place in the Western Conference.
Despite their injury list, Melton still believes the Warriors have a shot in the playoffs if Curry and veteran center Al Horford are healthy and available.
“We can compete with any team… We just beat Houston, had good battles with San Antonio (earlier this year). We lost a lot of our guys and took OKC to the wire,” Melton said.
While the Warriors are undoubtedly better with Curry, it remains to be seen if returning this season is worth the risk. At 38, the Warriors’ championship window with the star guard is closing quickly, making his health the team’s priority.
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