Warriors Winners and Losers from 2024 NBA Free Agency
The Golden State Warriors had an adventurous journey through 2024 NBA free agency.
It wasn't necessarily earth-shattering, though one could argue the departure of Klay Thompson qualifies as such given his storied history with the franchise. Given his statistical decline, though, it wasn't shocking to see him split from this squad.
Chris Paul's exit also felt predetermined, since Golden State was greatly exposed defensively any time it tried to fit him and Stephen Curry in the same undersized, aging backcourt. And while the arrivals of Buddy Hield, De'Anthony Melton and Kyle Anderson weren't telegraphed, they also weren't game-changing additions.
This was still an eventful summer for Bay Area basketball, though, and it spawned a couple of Warriors winners and one loser from free agency.
Winner: De'Anthony Melton
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Given the way many middle-class free agents were squeezed in this market, De'Anthony Melton did well to sign for Golden State's full non-taxpayer's midlevel exception.
That's a solid salary ($12.8 million, per Spotrac) for someone coming off an injury-riddled campaign. A nagging back ailment limited him to just 38 appearances and cast a cloud of uncertainty over Melton's earnings potential.
He not only nabbed decent dollars now, he also potentially paved a path for a healthy pay raise next summer.
He'll spend the 2024-25 campaign in a glamour market and, health permitting, probably in a critical role. He could be tasked with piloting Golden State's critical non-Stephen Curry minutes, and there will be times when Melton suits up alongside the franchise face. The Dubs need his point-of-attack defense, and their offensive system could help bring out some of the best shooting efficiency he's ever posted.
Loser: Moses Moody
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This could be a curious selection to some, since Thompson's departure potentially paves a path for Moses Moody to find the consistent playing time that has eluded him this far. And it could really look silly if he winds up receiving an extension, which the Warriors hope will happen.
For all that's changed in Golden State, though, things could wind up feeling frustratingly familiar for Moody. More specifically, the playing time crunch he has faced to date isn't destined to disappear.
Paul's exit won't help Moody find minutes, and while Thompson's theoretically could, the minutes he leaves behind could wind up filled through an expanded role for Brandin Podziemski plus wing-rotation minutes for Buddy Hield and Kyle Anderson.
While it's only one projection, it still feels notable that CBS Sports' projected depth chart for the Dubs lists Moody fourth at both shooting guard and small forward. The 2021 lottery pick has yet to average 18 minutes in a season, and he may have trouble snapping that streak during the upcoming campaign.
Winner: Buddy Hield
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Relatively speaking, Buddy Hield didn't break the bank this summer. He didn't have to settle for scraps or anything, but his four-year, $37.8 million deal wasn't a colossal amount of NBA cash—especially when only the first two seasons are fully guaranteed.
This was a tough free agent market, though, and his playing time and production were down last season. All things considered, he shouldn't have too many (if any) gripes about his new deal.
He should, however, be head over heels about his fit in this system and the opportunity that could await him.
Golden State has an obvious need for non-Curry spacing with Thompson off the team, and Hield is uniquely equipped to fill that void. Hield is one of the very few players who could feel they are equal to Thompson as a shooter. For their careers, Hield has averaged more threes per 36 minutes (3.8 to 3.5), while Thompson holds a slight edge in three-point percentage (41.3 to 40).
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