Kristaps Porziņģis, De'anthony Melton Give Warriors Fans A Night To Dream In Win

Kristaps Porziņģis, De'Anthony Melton give Warriors fans a night to dream in win originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The most hospitable team in the NBA flung open its defenseless doors to the Warriors on Monday, and while many were staring at the wallpaper, Kristaps Porziņģis and De’Anthony Melton were pushing dreams.

Porziņģis and Melton combined for 57 points, exploiting the generosity of the Washington Wizards during a 125-117 victory that not only snapped Golden State’s five-game losing streak but also stirred fanciful visions throughout the forlorn avenues of Dub Nation.

What if . . . the Warriors can bring Porziņģis and Melton back next season?

This question will remain a “what if” until July. That’s when Porziņģis, who is making $30.7 million this season, becomes an unrestricted free agent and Melton declines the $3.5 million player option on his 2026-27 contract with the Warriors.

The lineup of Golden State’s 2026-27 dreams features Porziņģis at center, Draymond Green and Gui Santos – until Jimmy Butler III returns – at forward, with Stephen Curry and Melton in the backcourt. Melton is sure to get a raise, while Porziņģis can expect a pay cut due to his extensive injury history.

After Porziņģis and Melton earned their money against the Wizards, they shared a richly deserved postgame embrace that hints at a potential partnership in the future.

“Honestly, Melt’s been great since Day 1,” Porziņģis said in an interview with NBC Sports Bay Area’s “Warriors Postgame Live.” “He’s trying to get me going. He’s trying to find me from the first second I step on the court. I just know that’s a guy that wants me to feel good, get in a good rhythm.”

Porziņģis produced a game-high 30 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the field, including 1 of 5 from deep and 13 of 14 from the line. He added five rebounds, four assists, three blocks and two steals to finish plus-7 over a season-high 26 minutes.

“Working my way back into good shape,” Porziņģis said. “Today I think was a pretty big step forward for me. I was having fun out there playing with the guys that were finding me. I probably should have ended with more [points]; I smoked three or four that I should have made, so there’s still a lot of room for improvement.”

Though Porziņģis starred in the role of closer against the Wizards, scoring 12 points in seven fourth-quarter minutes, his conditioning is slowly improving. After being restricted to 20 minutes through his first four games with the Warriors, this was the time he exceeded. He believes he’ll need maybe three more games to feel as comfortable as he would like.

“He’s just gotten his legs underneath him,” coach Steve Kerr said at Capital One Arena. “I know he’s told you guys over the recent stretch of games that he felt more comfortable, and he was starting to get his rhythm. You could see it he just scored so easily and really closed the game with his free throws, just getting to the line over and over again to keep them at bay. He’s quite a talent.”

Melton knows what Porziņģis is going through, as he didn’t top 21 minutes until his eighth game after returning on Dec. 4 from ACL surgery. He suffered through a nine-game stretch beginning in late January when he shot 18.2 percent (8-of-44) from beyond the arc. It wasn’t until Monday in Washington that Melton hit the 30-minute mark. 

As the Warriors rambled through an uneven performance, it was Melton’s efficiency that kept the offense alive, scoring 23 points in 21 minutes through the first three quarters. He totaled 27 points on 12-of-17 shooting from the field, missing both his 3-point attempts. He added five rebounds, four assists and two steals.

“Taking that day off [Sunday in New York], I just wanted to come out here and bring the energy for my guys,” Melton told Tim Roye on Warriors Radio. “They’re coming off a back-to-back, so the dudes that didn’t play [in New York] had to come in and provide, and I feel like that’s what we did.”

Melton, whose 12 field goals represent a career-high, has scored at least 20 points in three of his last four games. With his two-skills, he looks more than capable of being a strong partner alongside Curry.

That’s the plan when Curry comes back, which is anticipated sometime after the Warriors return home on March 24.

Not until then would Golden State’s front office be able to assess the chemistry among Curry, Melton and Porziņģis. It’s not a lot of time, but general manager Mike Dunleavy and his cohorts will take what they can get. Meanwhile, their eyes are studying all the financial calculations involving Melton and Porziņģis, both of whom say they like being Warriors. We won’t know how much until July.

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