The fact that Dellavedova could get $10 million this offseason scares me. He’s not worth that from a monetary value standpoint, and his limitations on the court have always been well-defined. But the fact of the matter is Philadelphia is going to have to overpay for the extended majority of free agent pieces that make their way to the 76ers given their dismal standing in the conference, and Delly certainly fits the mold of a Brett Brown type of player.
With excellent size, Dellavedova overcomes his stark lack of athleticism with unyielding energy, especially on the defensive end. He takes pride in bothering his opposition with pestering defense and excels in the mental aspect of the game in today’s NBA. He gets into the offense’s head and is as good of a defender as you’ll find in someone as nonathletic as he is.
Offensively, he’s not going to do anything spectacular, but he’s a smart, savvy passer who can play within and offensive scheme and spot-up for threes as his main form of scoring. He won’t be the catalyst that pushes their offense to the next level, but he helps keep the ball moving and has proven himself capable of knocking down spot-up threes working off of a point forward in LeBron James.
As an experienced winner now and someone who could give the Sixers a sense of commitment and wholesome effort in the rotation, I could see the appeal of Delly to someone like Colangelo and Brown.
Next: 5. Moore