Sixers Veteran Facing Potential Absence vs. Miami Heat

What's the latest on the Philadelphia 76ers' veteran guard, De'Anthony Melton?

Nov 29, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard De'Anthony Melton (8) knocks the | Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

It turns out De’Anthony Melton’s back concerns are still an issue.

After the Philadelphia 76ers’ guard returned to action for two games after a long recovery, Melton ended up back on the bench for Sunday’s regular season finale against the Brooklyn Nets.

It was apparent Melton might’ve been trending in the wrong direction. After coming off the bench for 16 minutes in his first game back, Melton collected just five minutes of playing time against the Orlando Magic on Thursday.

76ers head coach Nick Nurse believed Melton looked fine physically, and chalked up his lack of minutes to simply not having a role for him in the crowded rotation for that game specifically. However, it seems Melton might not be ready to return for the long haul.

“This is the second time we’ve gone through holding him out, trying to treat him, getting him to a place where he thinks he can play, he played a couple games and then went out again for a long stretch, we bring him back, he’s played one game, and he’s out again,” Nurse told reporters after Sunday’s win against Brooklyn. “I think we’re in the same situation.”

Melton’s back issues started on January 2, when he missed a game against the Chicago Bulls. He would remain out of the lineup for three games in a row, before returning for a two-game stretch. After that, Melton sat out for 18 games.

The veteran would return to the court on February 23, and averaged 15 minutes for a three-game stretch. After the third outing, he went through an offloading period to rest and recover, which would last 21 games.

Nurse couldn’t confirm if another recovery period is required this time around, but the team seems to be taking a similar approach as before.

“They’re going to continue to treat him and try to get him better,” the head coach explained. “We’re hoping for a long run here so there’s still always time as this goes to get him back and be a factor in this thing, but it is concerning.”

The Sixers will host the Miami Heat for the battle of the seven-seed in the Eastern Conference on Wednesday night. Assuming Melton might not be ready, his next possible appearance would come Friday, at the earliest. While there are a handful of days to rest and recover, the Sixers remain concerned about the two-way standout’s ability to compete in postseason play this year.