It has been a busy NBA free-agency period for Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy, from franchise icon Klay Thompson departing for the Dallas Mavericks to acquiring a few new faces for Golden State.
The Warriors acquired both Kyle Anderson and Buddy Hield in a six-team sign-and-trade deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Philadelphia 76ers, Charlotte Hornets and Denver Nuggets. Additionally, Golden State added guard De’Anthony Melton on a one-year contract worth a reported $12.8 million.
While Golden State has been linked to trade rumors surrounding Utah Jazz star Lauri Markkanen, those reports haven’t become reality. With that being said, here’s how NBA experts graded the Warriors’ moves so far:
Buddy Hield: B-plus
“Hield offers a remarkably good facsimile of Thompson’s shooting. Over the past two seasons, Hield has shot a slightly better percentage beyond the arc (41 percent to Thompson’s 40 percent) on slightly lower volume (9.6 attempts per 36 minutes, compared to 11.2 for Thompson). Thompson is a more complete scorer, and still a better defender even after ACL and Achilles injuries sapped the quickness that once made him a top-tier perimeter stopper …” – Kevin Pelton
Kyle Anderson: B-minus
“Anderson is an interesting fit with the Warriors. I see some overlap between how Golden State might use him and the role Shaun Livingston once played for the Warriors as a non-shooter (Anderson hit just 23 percent of his 3s last year, is at 34 percent for his career and requires a long time to actually get his shot off) whose basketball IQ fits well in the Warriors’ system. …” – Pelton
De’Anthony Melton: A-minus
“A standout in terms of advanced all-in-one stats dating back to his lone college season at USC, Melton fills up the box score and has developed into an above-average 3-point shooter, having hit 38 percent over the last four seasons. As a result, Melton’s teams have typically played better with him on the court. Last season, when a stress response injury to the lumbar spine in Melton’s back overlapped with Joel Embiid’s knee surgery, the difference was a considerable 10.3 points per 100 possessions according to Cleaning the Glass analysis. …” – Pelton
De’Anthony Melton: B-plus
“It’s not Klay Thompson, but Melton does help the Warriors recover a little bit from his loss. He’ll never be feared as a shooter the way Thompson was, but Melton can defend 94 feet. Having guys like him, Draymond Green and Brandin Podziemski on the court at the same time could be a big boost to Golden State’s perimeter defense. Melton needs to stay healthy, but this could be a great addition, though it would’ve been a better one when Thompson was still there.” – Zach Harper
De’Anthony Melton, Kyle Anderson: A-minus
“… the Warriors sneakily made one of the best signings in free agency in getting Melton. Back injuries were a major problem for him last season with the Sixers. If those are resolved, he is a starter-level player who has great defensive instincts and can shoot 3s effectively. Melton has a very good chance at being better than Thompson next year if he can return to his level of two seasons ago.
The Warriors also boosted their playmaking (and got even slower) by adding Anderson. He’s a good defender and high-feel player who has possibly the slowest 3-point shot in the league. It’s a solid pickup for them to get someone who can facilitate some offense when Curry rests.” – Stephen Noh
Kyle Anderson: A
“He had a down 2023-24, particularly as a shooter, but Kyle Anderson can conceivably defend the 3, 4 or 5 and run an offense as a point forward. He plays at his own, slower pace, but his passing, vision and feel for the game have screamed “Warriors player” for years. That coaching staff will put his wide-ranging skill set to use.”
Buddy Hield: B-minus
“Hield is a big-time shooter who will have a decent role on this team but he had a rough close to the 2023-24 season and fell out of Philadelphia’s rotation. It’s a fine move but one that comes with significant downside for Golden State.” – Chinmay Vaidya
Kyle Anderson: B
“It’s not a move that pushes the Warriors over the top, but it’s not a bad pickup for them in the rotation. They still have some major work to do to build a contender.” – Vaidya
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