When the Philadelphia 76ers saw most of their players hit free agency in the summer of 2024, the front office deemed it best to undergo a major turnover on the margins. One of the player who took part in the mass exodus was De'Anthony Melton, who ended up signing with the Golden State Warriors.
Now, Melton is having a splendid comeback campaign. After missing almost all of last season due to a torn ACL, the 27-year-old has been making the most of his increased opportunity, averaging a career-high 13 points, 2.3 assist, and 1.6 steals per outing. That is certainly the kind of production the 76ers could have used since last season.
The 76ers could not afford to retain him a couple of summers ago, but they definitely could have made a play for him last offseason. Coming off a campaign where appeared in just six games due to injury, his price tag was far from a steep one. Instead, Philly's brain trust did not even have him on their radar, which is a missed opportunity, for sure.
The 76ers should have attempted to sign De'Anthony Melton last offseason
Melton was rock-solid when he was with the 76ers, having started 91 outings for the team in a span of two seasons. While injuries troubled him in his final campaign with the franchise, he was one of the more reliable players on the roster with his three-point shooting, perimeter defense, and secondary playmaking.
Outside of his subpar three-point shooting percentage right now, Melton has become even better for the Warriors this season. While his team is middling at the moment, he has helped them stay afloat in the playoff race out West without Steph Curry, who has missed a lot of time due to injuries of his own.
Meanwhile, the 76ers are currently facing a huge setback with four of their five best players sidelined due to their respective injuries. One of those is Tyrese Maxey, their leading scorer, who will be out of the lineup for at least three weeks with a finger injury.
There is no use crying over spilled milk, but thinking about how Melton could have helped them is valid and justified envy. Their backcourt depth is pretty shallow at present, especially after their nonsensical decision to trade Jared McCain before the deadline.
Reunions do not always make a lot of non-sentimental sense and are often costly ventures, but things are different with De'Anthony Melton, whom the 76ers should have tried to recruit back.