3 76ers on Thin Ice Heading Into the NBA Draft
By Jovan Alford
2. De’Anthony Melton
The Sixers seemed like a lock to take Providence’s guard Devin Carter in the first round early in the draft process. However, Carter’s stock has improved over the last few weeks and should be considered a lottery pick.
With that in mind, it’s clear the team is looking for more guard depth, which doesn’t spell good news for Melton. The 26-year-old two-way guard struggled with injury this season, as he only played in 38 games.
I've missed De'Anthony Melton and his incredibly underrated offensive rebounding skills pic.twitter.com/BupmCUqLgF
— Daniel Olinger (@dan_olinger) April 10, 2024
The 6-foot-2 combo guard averaged 11.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in 26.9 minutes per game. He also shot 36 percent from beyond the arc and 38.6 percent from the field, which is noticeably lower than the 2022-23 season (42.5 FG% and 39% 3pt).
If Melton is fully healthy, the Sixers must expect he’ll receive numerous offers in free agency as he provides versatility at the guard spot. However, Philly can’t gamble with Melton’s health as he was dealing with a back injury.
Therefore, it wouldn’t be shocking to see the Sixers take a shot on McCain (if available) or even Collier, who brings more athleticism to the position. The team struggled to find consistent guard depth this season behind Maxey and doesn’t want to be in the same position next season.