76ers' De'Anthony Melton: Knicks Best Free Agent Fit at All-Star Break?
With the NBA trade deadline having passed, the next major opportunity for roster revamping won't come until the summer's free agency activities.
With that in mind, Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report listed the top most attractive free agents for each NBA team. The New York Knicks' list was topped by Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard De'Anthony Melton, whose four-year deal originally signed with Memphis is set to expire after this season.
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"De'Anthony Melton just screams "(Tom) Thibodeau style" player," Bailey writes. "He's a good perimeter defender although he's probably undersized for his position, he doesn't play like it. Lineups with him, OG Anunoby, and Mitchell Robinson could be tenacious, and he should be gettable for something within the non-taxpayers mid-level exception range."
Melton, an $8 million cap hit this season, is averaging a career-best 11.8 points next to four rebounds a game, a sold haul considering he stands at only 6-2. The 25-year-old was a great fit for the gritty Memphis Grizzlies, so the Knicks have reason to believe that he would be an intriguing fit into the system of Thibodeau.
If the Knicks were to go get a backup point guard like Melton, it could take a lot of the pressure of the position off of All-Star Jalen Brunson, as well as improve the team's defense, which was strong as constructed though things have taken a dire turn with several injuries eating away at he team regulars. Finding depth like Melton in the offseason would certainly soothe potential future blows.
Ironically enough, the Knicks (33-22) face Melton on Thursday night when they open their post-break schedule against the 76ers (7 p.m. ET, MSG).
