Sixers guarantee guard De’Anthony Melton’s salary for 2023-24 NBA season

This comes as no surprise.

The 76ers will fully guarantee De’Anthony Melton’s contract for the 2023-24 season. The combo guard will make $8 million in the final season of his deal, which was originally signed as a four-year, $34.6 million contract with the Memphis Grizzlies on Nov. 22, 2020.

The Sixers acquired Melton via trade on June 24, 2022. They had until Monday to fully guarantee his contract. If they declined, he would have been owed only $1.5 million.

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But with the Sixers relying on Melton as a key contributor, this decision was a no-brainer.

Melton averaged 10.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and a career-best 1.6 steals in 77 games. He also started the most games in his career with 55 last season. The five-year veteran had a career night against his hometown Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 9, finishing with 33 points, eight three-pointers, and seven steals.

“Adding a guy that can get their hands on the ball and deflections,” former coach Doc Rivers said of Melton. “One game we had like 46 deflections. He had like 14 of them. It’s amazing how many times he has the ability to get his hands on the ball.

“I’ve not seen it very often and he does a great job. So that helps.”

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Melton’s ability to defend and handle the ball gave Rivers the option of pairing him with either James Harden or Tyrese Maxey, bringing perimeter toughness off the bench. An elite off-ball defender, the 6-foot-2, 200-pounder used his 6-9 wingspan to be disruptive in passing lanes and to grab rebounds. And he replaced Maxey as the starting shooting guard during one stretch of the season.

The Sixers realize he was a solid acquisition and did what was expected.