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Even with the alleged tampering allegations, it has been a successful offseason for the Philadelphia 76ers. Not only did Daryl Morey bring in multiple depth pieces, but he did so without giving up any everyday players from last season. While Danny Green was a key fixture on and off the floor, he is expected to miss most of the year recovering from an ACL injury.
Most of the buzz regarding the Sixers’ offseason is the flurry of moves in free agency, but Morey’s retooling of the roster began on draft night. Right before it was time to make a pick, he executed a deal with the Memphis Grizzlies to acquire De’Anthony Melton.
Melton, 24, had a career year for the Grizzlies in 2022. Across 73 games, he averaged 10.8 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.7 APG, and 1.4 SPG. The former second-round pick also shot 37.4% from beyond the arc on five attempts per game.
During a recent interview with Vince Carter, Sixers head coach Doc Rivers opened up on the addition of Melton. He feels the move has gone overlooked and that the young guard fits the identity they are trying to build.
I think one of the moves people aren’t looking at is De’Anthony Melton. I love the kid, I think he fits our DNA… We needed to add some toughness to our team. Getting P.J. obviously handles a lot of that, but De’Anthony Melton is the same DNA as that as well. So, we needed that on this team.
Analyst is High on De’Anthony Melton’s Impact For Sixers
Rivers isn’t the only one who is high on the Sixers’ addition of Melton. Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice gave his thoughts on the move in a recent mailbag. As an off-ball guard who prides himself on the defensive end, Neubeck feels Melton has the chance to be a high-impact player for his new team.
Melton does a little bit of everything they need. He’s a tenacious, disruptive defender who can defend all types of guards and some smaller wings, using his length, athleticism, and instincts to make up for what he lacks in height. Surrounded by other ballhandlers, Melton’s tendency to take on a little bit too much responsibility off-the-bounce will likely be minimized, freeing him up to be a more direct attacker and standstill shooting threat.
De’Anthony Melton Seamlessly Fits Sixers New Identity
This offseason, it was clear the type of player the Sixers were targeting. As Rivers mentioned in his interview with Vince Carter, the team needed more toughness. Similar to P.J. Tucker, Melton is a hard-nosed defender. According to Statmuse, he had a defensive rating of 106.5 last season. This mark almost matches Matisse Thybulle’s (107.9), and he was named to an All-Defensive team.
Another area the Sixers addressed was outside shooting. Melton is already an above-average three-point shooter, but his efficiency increases when used as a spot-up shooter. When shooting off the catch, his three-point percentage jumped to 40.6% last year.
The Sixers’ backcourt is loaded with firepower, and Melton is the perfect third guard to pair with them. His stellar defensive play should make life easier for James Harden and Tyrese Maxey, and he can be a reliable kick-out option for Joel Embiid when defenses collapse on him. For what they gave up to get him, Melton has the chance to be a huge steal for the Sixers moving forward.
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