Warriors have seemingly unearthed new backcourt

The Golden State Warriors entered training camp with three candidates for Stephen Curry's backcourt partner: second-year guard Brandin Podziemski, veteran sharpshooter Buddy Hield and De'Anthony Melton.

Following a week of intense scrimmages and one preseason game, it appears Melton has won the starting shooting guard spot, at least for now. During Saturday's preseason win over the Clippers, Melton showed his versatility on both ends of the floor and earned Kerr's praise for his chemistry with Curry. 

"They look great together," Kerr said of Curry and Melton. "I know Steph didn't shoot well, but they look for each other. De'Anthony's a really good shooter, but also a playmaker and gets in the mix on everything defensively. I'm a really big fan of De'Anthony and I really like the depth of our offense."

According to The Athletic's Anthony Slater, Melton is "the early favorite" to start alongside Curry when the Warriors kick off their 2024-25 campaign against the Blazers on Oct. 23. 

One of the key reasons for Kerr to prefer Melton over Podziemski and Hield is his defense. For years, Klay Thompson took on the difficult backcourt defensive assignments on behalf of Curry, allowing his fellow Splash Brother to focus more on the offensive side of the ball. That's precisely why Thompson's departure meant the Warriors needed to find a defensive-minded backcourt partner for Curry.

Melton himself has embraced the role of becoming Golden State's go-to perimeter defender. Speaking to the media last week, the 26-year-old said he plans to shine as a defensive stopper for the Warriors.  

"I love defense. I love playing defense. I love getting steals. I love getting stops. It's always been my mantra. That's who I am," Melton said. 

To Podziemski's credit, the 21-year-old understands why Kerr would prioritize Melton over himself. After Saturday's preseason game, Podz said he's more focused on finishing games than starting them. 

"I take pride in leading the second group," he said, via Dalton Johnson of Yahoo! Sports.

As for Hield, it's easy to forget that the Bahamian sharpshooter has made the second-most threes in the league since he entered the NBA. However, his defense has always been suspect, and the reason he's failed to land a consistent starting role in the league.    

The competition for the starting SG spot is a good problem for Kerr, especially if Podziemski builds off his impressive rookie campaign and Hield continues to make threes at his usual clip.

For now, though, Melton is Thompson's replacement and Curry's new backcourt partner.