NBA Preseason Roundtable: Ranking the Philadelphia 76ers Roster

4. De’Anthony Melton (written by Mike Greger)

Analysis: Some might be surprised to see Melton’s name one spot ahead of James Harden but basketball purists know how underrated “Mr. Do Something” has been throughout his career. Buried behind Ja Morant on the depth chart in Memphis, the 25-year-old guard made the most of all his extra minutes last season in Philly: 10.1 points, 2.6 assists, 1.6 steals, 4.1 rebounds per game while shooting a lights-out 39% from beyond the arc. Melton was money in the bank and flashed the ability to heat up in a hurry, much like a microwave on a timer.

Perhaps the best part of Melton’s game is his tenacity on the defensive end.

He routinely took on tough assignments, sometimes the opposition’s best scoring threat, and outworked that player mentally (see: Jordan Poole). Melton isn’t a bully. He isn’t physically intimidating. He’s just a guy who does all the dirty work. And new head coach Nick Nurse may try and use him the same way he did Kyle Lowry during their championship run together in Toronto.

Remember, there is a pretty good chance that Tyrese Maxey and De’Anthony Melton will be in the starting backcourt to start the 2022-23 season in Philadelphia. That’s not a bad thing. He ranked No. 12 in defensive rating (111.0) last season – above Donovan Mitchell, Jaylen Brown, and Jimmy Butler – while leading the Sixers in steals (126). Melton is in for a breakout year, with or without Harden.