Warriors guard De'Anthony Melton starts, then returns to bench as Golden State opens 0-2
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The gist
Warriors guard De'Anthony Melton started the Lakers loss, then scored 10 off the bench against Memphis.
Golden State fell to 0-2 while adapting to coach Steve Kerr's new offensive scheme.
Background
De'Anthony Melton is a 28-year-old guard for the Golden State Warriors who started 24 games in the 2025-26 regular season, averaging 12.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.7 steals in those outings. He got the start in the season opener because teammate Brandin Podziemski was out with lower-back soreness. The Warriors kept their roster largely unchanged in the offseason but replaced head coach Steve Kerr's top assistants, and Kerr has emphasized a new offensive approach, with Frank Vogel joining the staff to lead the defense.
How it unfolded
- Oct 21, 2026With Brandin Podziemski out due to lower-back soreness, Melton started at the Los Angeles Lakers. He played about 21 minutes and scored 0 points on 0-of-2 shooting; Golden State lost 105-127.
- Oct 21, 2026Melton told reporters the new gameplan shifts emphasis away from split actions as the initial setup, though he said they remain a key component, and echoed Kerr that the team has not found its complete footing.
- Oct 22, 2026Melton was headed back to the bench.
- Oct 23, 2026Against the Memphis Grizzlies, Melton scored 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting in about 20 minutes. His 3-pointer gave the Warriors a 12-point lead with under four minutes left, but Memphis closed on a 17-2 run to win 111-108 and drop Golden State to 0-2.
- Oct 23, 2026After Thursday's practice at Chase Center, Melton spoke with the media and said he was encouraged by rookie Yaxel Lendeborg's energy.
Who’s saying what
- Player
- Melton said the new scheme moves away from split actions as the initial setup and that the team has not yet found its complete footing, echoing Kerr's end-of-preseason comments.