Warriors Seek Stability with De’Anthony Melton as Starting Shooting Guard
This season, the Golden State Warriors have faced a challenge in consistency, prominently illustrated by the revolving door at the shooting guard position. Having cycled through 13 different starting lineups thus far, the Warriors have yet to solidify a reliable option at the two-guard spot.
A Season of Change
In the early stretch of the season, Brandin Podziemski and Jimmy Butler split the starting duties evenly, with each player earning four starts in the first eight games. Following that, the team experimented with Will Richard and Moses Moody, alternating between Podziemski and Butler in a bid to find the right chemistry. Richard then took the reins for six consecutive games, only for the rotation to shift back to Moody, then Richard again. Recently, Richard has started four straight games, though this fluctuating strategy has done little to foster the continuity the Warriors desperately need.
Introducing De’Anthony Melton
To address this ongoing instability, a new candidate has emerged as a compelling option for the starting shooting guard role: De’Anthony Melton. Although he has played only two games this season, Melton’s performance has already indicated that he is back to form following his recovery from a November 2024 ACL injury.
Defensive Prowess
In just 38 minutes of play, Melton has established himself as a formidable defensive presence. As the primary defender on 23 field-goal attempts, he has limited opponents to a shooting percentage of just 43.5%. His track record speaks volumes; throughout his seven-year career, he has consistently improved his team’s defensive metrics, enhancing defensive performance in six of those seasons, according to Cleaning the Glass.
Dunks and Threes projects Melton’s Defensive Estimated Plus-Minus (EPM) at 1.6, placing him in the elite 95th percentile among his peers. While Podziemski (1.4) and Moody (1.2) trail closely, Melton stands out due to his superior point-of-attack defense. In contrast, Richard (0.2) is average defensively, and Buddy Hield’s (-0.9) performance has been a liability.
Chemistry with Curry
The synergy between Melton and Stephen Curry is another critical factor in this discussion. Last season, Melton demonstrated his ability to elevate Curry’s game, as evidenced by their impressive net rating of plus-37.0 over 103 possessions together in the six games prior to Melton’s injury. While Curry generally enjoys a positive net rating with various teammates, the numbers highlight the potential impact that Melton could bring.
For context, Moody’s pairing with Curry yielded a net rating of +9.1 in the 2024-25 season, but Melton’s superior defensive skills and proven ability to enhance Curry’s effectiveness make him an intriguing prospect for the starting role.
As the Warriors look to establish a steady lineup, embracing De’Anthony Melton as their starting shooting guard may provide the much-needed balance and defensive stability they have been searching for this season.
