Doc Rivers Praises Sixers Overly Breaching Additions

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DeAnthony Melton #0 of the Memphis Grizzlies hit the basket ahead of Austin Rivers #25 and Jeff Green #32 of the Denver Nuggets.

Even with the false accusations, it was a successful season for the Philadelphia 76ers. Daryl Morey not only brings in plenty of depth, but does so without dropping any daily players from last season. While Danny Green is an important player on and off the court, he is expected to miss most of the year recovering from an ACL injury.

Most of the talk about the Sixers’ reasons for a break has been a flurry of moves in free agency, but Morey’s roster retooling began on draft night. Just before making his choice, he made a deal with the Memphis Grizzlies to acquire De’Anthony Melton.

Melton, 24, has had a career year for the Grizzlies in 2022. In 73 games, he averaged 10.8 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.7 APG and 1.4 SPG. The previous second-round pick also hit 37.4% from outside the arc with five tries per game.

In recent times Interview with Vince Carter, Sixers head coach Doc Rivers opened up about the addition of Melton. He feels this move has been overlooked and that the young guard fits the identity they are trying to build.

I think one of the moves that people don’t notice is De’Anthony Melton. I love the kid, I think it fits in our DNA… We need some more toughness to our team. Getting PJ obviously handles a lot of that, but De’Anthony Melton is the same DNA. So we need that in this team.

Analyst appreciates De’Anthony Melton’s impact on Sixers

Rivers isn’t the only one to appreciate the Sixers’ addition of Melton. PhillyVoice’s Kyle Neubeck gave his thoughts on the move in a recent letter bag. A keeper who prides himself on his defense, Neubeck feels Melton has the opportunity to become an influential player for his new side.

Melton does a little bit of everything they need. He is a tenacious, disruptive defender who can defend all types of sentries and some smaller wings, using his length, athleticism and instincts to make up for what he lacks. about height. Surrounded by other pitchers, Melton’s tendency to take on too much responsibility is likely to be mitigated, freeing him up to be a more direct hitter and death threat.

De’Anthony Melton seamlessly matches the Sixers New Identity

This season, it’s clearly the type of player the Sixers are aiming for. As Rivers mentioned in his interview with Vince Carter, the team needed more toughness. Similar to PJ Tucker, Melton is a hard-nosed defender. According to Statmuse, he had a defensive stat of 106.5 last season. This sign almost matches that of Matisse Thybulle (107.9), and he was named to the Comprehensive Defensive team.

Another area the Sixers tackle is outside of the shooting. Melton is already an above-average three-point shooter, but his effectiveness will increase when used as a spot shooter. When he shot all the fish, his three-pointer rate increased to 40.6% last year.

The Sixers’ backline is fully armed, and Melton is the perfect third guard to pair with them. His stellar defensive play will make it easier for James Harden and Tyrese Maxey, and he can be a reliable starting pick for Joel Embiid when the defense collapses in front of him. For what they gave up to get him, Melton has the opportunity to be a big steal for the Sixers moving forward.