5 76ers who need monster second halves to save their jobs
3. De’Anthony Melton
Starting guard De’Anthony Melton is on the final year of his four-year contract way back in 2020, but he’s primed to be among the first candidates to be re-signed by the 76ers in the offseason owing to his impact as a high-end rotation player since arriving in Philly from Memphis in 2022.
Melton is the team’s designated 3-and-D player in the backcourt and has had success in his role since last season, but the biggest thing going against him and a potential re-upping is his availability. He’s already missed 25 out of 58 games this year, and with the 76ers already not having the most fragile of collectives, healthy will undoubtedly be a big factor in their decision-making in free agency.
Fortunately, Melton should be back in action soon, though hsi role may not be as robust as before thanks to Buddy Hield’s explosive play since his arrival. Nevertheless, he should still have a cemented spot in the rotation with the team needing backcourt defense after the loss of Patrick Beverley and Jaden Springer.