By Alex Kirschenbaum
Copyright newsweek
The Golden State Warriors are moving swiftly to build out their depth this weekend, even as they await a resolution to power forward Jonathan Kuminga’s ongoing restricted free agency.
Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns is defended by Gary Payton II #0 of the Golden State Warriors in the third quarter at Chase Center on February 10, 2024 in San Francisco, California. In this trade proposal, the Warriors get back the future Hall of Famer who spent three seasons in the Bay Area.
Per Shams Charania of ESPN, free agent guards De’Anthony Melton and Gary Payton II are slated to sign deals that will bring them back to Golden State in 2025-26, sources inform Shams Charania of ESPN. They’ll be joining another key free agent addition, former Boston Celtics big man Al Horford, who agreed to what’s set to be a multi-year deal early Sunday.
Free agents Gary Payton II and De’Anthony Melton have committed to signing deals to return to the Golden State Warriors, sources tell ESPN. Payton, Melton and Al Horford are now locked in for the Warriors’ 2025-26 roster. pic.twitter.com/h0xtsmstGe— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 29, 2025
Terms of the three deals remain unclear at present, beyond the length of Horford’s contract.
Per longtime NBA insider Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, the Warriors had talked about a two-year, $7.9 million agreement with Payton, although even that deal is somewhat predicated on what happens with restricted free agent power forward Jonathan Kuminga, whose protracted contract talks with Golden State had held up virtually all its other offseason business, including signing its draft picks.
UPDATE: Warriors & Gary Payton II have discussed a 2-yr, $7.9M return deal, sources tell me — contingent on what GSW & Jonathan Kuminga decide.Warriors & Al Horford also remain aligned, but that too depends on the Kuminga outcome.🔗 Original story ➡️ https://t.co/RJXMjbeDSm https://t.co/2857LIaCay pic.twitter.com/5UR2evvl8f— 👑 Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson (@ScoopB) September 18, 2025
Kuminga’s deadline to pick up his $7.9 million qualifying option — his biggest remaining leverage in contract talks — expires on Oct. 1. Golden State clearly wants him to agree to a bigger, longer-term contract that would hold more appeal to trade partners, either now in a sign-and-trade or mid-season.
But Warriors team president Mike Dunleavy Jr. clearly isn’t waiting for Kuminga to build out the rest of his roster for training camp, which tips off on Monday.
Charania also reports that Golden State has at long last signed one of its two second-round rookie draft selections, No. 56 pick Will Richard out of Villanova, to a four-year deal.
The Warriors reach agreements Sunday with three free agents and one of their draft picks ahead of Wednesday’s qualifying offer deadline for restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga. A critical decision looms this week. https://t.co/hR5jfl0Pdb— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 29, 2025
This story will be updated…
