Warriors Expected to Bring Back Two Key Veteran Free Agents

· Yahoo Sports

Golden State's summer finally has some direction.

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The Warriors spent most of July waiting on LeBron James, and once the four-time MVP agreed to a two-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday, the front office wasted little time settling on the fallback plan it had quietly prepared.

According to a report from The Athletic's Joe Vardon and David Aldridge, the Warriors are now expected to re-sign Draymond Green and complete De'Anthony Melton's return, keeping two trusted veterans in the fold for another season alongside Stephen Curry.

The Draymond Green Piece

Green opted out of his $28 million player option at the end of June, a decision that always looked more procedural than personal, and The Athletic's report frames his next contract as landing right back near that same figure.

ESPN's Anthony Slater outlined the thinking on Wednesday, before the decision came down, and his explanation was blunt.

"If LeBron doesn't come, they could just give Draymond Green back basically a one-year, $27 million offer," Slater said. "Fans don't like to hear this but optionality, flexibility, they can go after future stars."

A short-term agreement would hand Green his payday while preserving the flexibility the front office covets for future summers.

The veteran forward averaged 8.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists across 68 games last season, numbers that undersell how much of the defense still runs through his voice and positioning.

The box score has never been the right way to measure him, and the front office clearly agrees, because Green was always expected to stay in Golden State regardless of how the James pursuit ended.

Melton's Return Was Always Coming

Melton actually agreed to a two-year, $11 million deal with a player option back on July 1, per ESPN's Shams Charania, so this weekend's news reads more like confirmation that the paperwork will be completed than a fresh development.

The guard gave Golden State a career-best 12.3 points per game across 49 appearances last season, and his defensive pressure fits naturally next to Curry in the backcourt.

That combination of familiarity and price is hard to beat this deep into the offseason.

Bringing back both players will not transform a team that missed the playoffs a season ago, but it stabilizes the rotation and the locker room while the front office keeps its books clean for bigger swings down the road.

What Comes Next in the Bay

The encouraging news does not stop with the two free agents.

Golden State also received a promising update on Jimmy Butler's recovery from the torn ACL he suffered in January, which looms as the single biggest swing factor in how competitive this roster can be next season.

Green has spent his own summer in a cheerful mood, showing love to Yaxel Lendeborg and the Summer League roster after its championship run in Las Vegas.

There will still be outside names connected to this team all summer, though the front office has already shown discipline there, as Golden State is reportedly not expected to target Michael Porter Jr. despite the positional fit.

The stars did not align on a blockbuster this month, so the Warriors are choosing continuity, health and patience instead, and that approach starts with getting Green and Melton signed.

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