Is everyone in the league besides Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey missing how good House is? That’s an oversimplification, but to see House signing 10-day contracts last season was strange. Over 150 of his NBA appearances are with the Rockets. When House debuted for the Sixers, he’ll have played 205 NBA games for six teams. How much can Sixers count on House?Īs a rookie, House played more games with the Delaware 87ers (seven) than the Washington Wizards (one).
And Melton’s defensive talents ensure he’s not jumper-dependent. Non-stars who can catch fire from long range - Danny Green going a combined 11 for 15 from deep during the Sixers’ two home playoff wins over the Heat, for example - are very nice to have. If Melton keeps running hot and cold, that wouldn’t necessarily be a disaster for the Sixers. Those three things I definitely try to go through every day.” Just establishing that and making sure I get under the ball. “Make sure I got a solid, good foundation to start there because I used to bring my feet in too close. “I would say for me just making sure my base is wide,” Melton told reporters in March, according to The Memphis Commercial Appeal’s Damichael Cole. Melton admits he’s been a streaky shooter, but he’s come to understand what works (and what doesn’t) for him. He made 40.6 percent of those shots - nearly 10 percent higher than his percentage on pull-ups. Of Melton’s 5.1 three-point attempts per game last season, 3.6 were catch-and-shoot attempts, per NBA.com. Although Melton certainly doesn’t mind having the ball in his hands, Maxey is the better decision-maker and superior at breaking down his man, shooting off the dribble, attacking the rim, and most other skills in the half court.Ĭatch and shoot has become a comfort zone for Melton, which is laudable for a player who shot only 28.4 percent from three-point range in his single college season and 29.4 percent over his first two years in the NBA. We imagine Maxey will also tend to be the team’s primary ball handler in those lineups.
What does that mean for Melton on the Sixers? Tyrese Maxey is likely to have a greater opportunity to unleash his speed when he’s next to his new teammate.
In 2022-23, he played as a two-guard alongside either Morant or Tyus Jones in his 14 most frequent lineups. Melton was more of a shooting guard than a true point guard in Memphis. That might sound basic, but Melton should fill a healthy chunk of the Ben Simmons void that contributed last year to the Sixers’ diminished transition threat and reliance on half-court offense. Melton looks ahead for the open man and doesn’t appear especially uncomfortable with any aspect of life in transition. That lines up with all of the forced turnovers (and playing with Ja Morant, of course), although it is significant for the Sixers that Melton’s first instinct after a steal isn’t to fling the ball to a better ball handler. Essentially, when he was on the court, the Grizzlies had lots of fun in the open floor. In each of the last two seasons, Memphis lineups with Melton ranked in the 99th percentile for transition frequency. Melton gambles and fouls less than Thybulle. He uses his length to make thrilling recovery blocks and snag passes that opponents assumed were open, but Melton knows contesting a jumper is just fine when a spectacular highlight isn’t realistic. Melton was actually 6-2.25 without shoes at the 2018 NBA draft combine, and his 6-8.5 wingspan often pops off the screen. He plays bigger than his listed height of 6-foot-2. In each of his four seasons, he’s rated in the 94th percentile or higher among combo guards in steal rate, per Cleaning the Glass. 3 with 2.3 steals per 36.Īlthough he’s 24 years old, Melton has enough of an NBA track record that it’s reasonable to expect he’ll continue to play statistically elite, disruptive defense. Gary Payton II led the league in steals per 36 minutes last season. Here are a few additional thoughts on the reunited duo: Melton’s exceptional defense Still, as the video above covers, both players have a variety of ways in which they should help their new team. They won’t do the same for the 2022-23 Sixers. and De’Anthony Melton were the leading scorers for the Houston Rockets’ summer league team.
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