In terms of publicity and fanfare, the addition of PJ Tucker has gotten the most attention for the Philadelphia 76ers as they have been able to add depth and toughness to their roster.
However, there is one move that hasn’t gotten nearly as much publicity, but the Sixers believe they have gotten the necessary help they need with this addition.
Philadelphia pulled off a draft night trade back in June when they sent Danny Green and David Roddy, the No. 23 pick in the 2022 draft, to the Memphis Grizzlies for De’Anthony Melton. The veteran out of USC is coming off a season where he averaged 10.8 points off Memphis’ bench and he is looked at as a very good pickup for the Sixers.
Bleacher Report put together a list of the top 10 most underrated offseason moves of 2022 and the Melton addition was ranked 4th:
Joel Embiid, James Harden, Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris will largely carry the load for the Philadelphia 76ers this season, but De’Anthony Melton’s presence as a sixth man, playmaker and pesky defender could push them over the edge as a true title threat.
The 24-year-old can lock down opposing guards on the perimeter, and he finished second behind only new teammate Matisse Thybulle in steal percentage (3.0) last season. Melton also hit 40.6 percent of his catch-and-shoot threes, making him a great fit next to Harden.
With two years and $16.3 million remaining on his contract, Melton is a low-cost, big-impact rotation member who was one of the smartest offseason trade acquisitions.
Time will tell whether Melton will be able to come in and give the Sixers the bench help they need, but on paper, this looks like a very good addition for Philadelphia. He is a player who provides production on both ends of the floor and his playoff experience will be a big boost as well.
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Story originally appeared on Sixers Wire