Welcome DeAnthony Melton

[Jailblazers7]

Is there any chance Maxey would be hunted on defense (like the Heat series) that we end games with Melton instead of Maxey?

I doubt it. His offense is way too valuable and I expect him to be a sturdier defender now that he’s had time to develop his body and he’ll be learning from the staff & PJ. This is the year I’m hoping he gets close to be a neutral defender.

[PhillyNj]

No chance at all. I could see Harden, Maxey, Melton, Harris and Embiidi ending certain games though.
That’s the speed lineup. There will likely be a bully line up too.

[M2J]

No chance at all. I could see Harden, Maxey, Melton, Harris and Embiidi ending certain games though.
That’s the speed lineup. There will likely be a bully line up too.

I really want that to be their starting lineup. They could stagger and allow for Melton and Maxey to run point without Harden.

But mainly I think that Melton has more potential to enhance the offense than Tucker. I mostly think it's important to have someone that can defend at the point of attack like Melton, and I'll continue to think that until Maxey proves he can. Adding Melton adds to the wing defender in Harris and paint defense from Joel. Then allows Harden to be hidden on the weakest assignment 1-4. You could also rotate Tucker in as a starter versus teams without that type of point guard. Or a bigger slower point guard like Malcolm Brogdon

[76ciology]

Second in the NBA in steals per game, third in deflections per game. Also shooting 39% from three on career-high volume.

[ExplosionsInDaSky]

Melton has quietly been becoming our third most important player on this team. In my opinion he's absolutely untouchable and we need to do whatever must be done to keep him here in Philly.

[sodmoraes]

Melton fits better than Maxey, playing besides Harden, as he´s way better defensively. In the other hand, Maxey gets a lot of easy looks playing with Harden. Do you guys think Melton could play SF, so we can bench PJ? He´s a little bit small, but he has a pretty good wingspan. I think that would be our best lineup.

[Jailblazers7]

Melton fits better than Maxey, playing besides Harden, as he´s way better defensively. In the other hand, Maxey gets a lot of easy looks playing with Harden. Do you guys think Melton could play SF, so we can bench PJ? He´s a little bit small, but he has a pretty good wingspan. I think that would be our best lineup.

I think we’ve gotta try to make the 3 guard lineup work because it’s our best collection of talent. But unfortunately, we’re probably too small to make it work in later playoff rounds.

The unfortunate reality is that I think the best move is to bench Maxey during closing time unless he’s got the hot hand. Not sure it really matters tho because we match up so poorly with Boston regardless of our lineup choice.

[youngcrev]

Melton fits better than Maxey, playing besides Harden, as he´s way better defensively. In the other hand, Maxey gets a lot of easy looks playing with Harden. Do you guys think Melton could play SF, so we can bench PJ? He´s a little bit small, but he has a pretty good wingspan. I think that would be our best lineup.

Depends on the matchup. But in general, I feel as comfortable putting Harden on 3s or 4s as I do guards. He's a better post than perimeter defender.

Celtics, Bucks or Nets you probably want Tucker in there.

[M2J]

Melton fits better than Maxey, playing besides Harden, as he´s way better defensively. In the other hand, Maxey gets a lot of easy looks playing with Harden. Do you guys think Melton could play SF, so we can bench PJ? He´s a little bit small, but he has a pretty good wingspan. I think that would be our best lineup.

Depends on the matchup. But in general, I feel as comfortable putting Harden on 3s or 4s as I do guards. He's a better post than perimeter defender.

Celtics, Bucks or Nets you probably want Tucker in there.

And Cavs you could do less PJ, more Melton/Thybulle.

My criticism of Rivers is that he should do a better job of limiting PJ's minutes, especially on certain nights (I've seen a few times, he only plays like 20 or less, but generally not the case).

I think PJ has been as advertised, and exactly what he's been for other teams that have made playoff runs recently...which is impressive at this age. However, due to the Maxey/Harden defensive issue and Tobias playing an elevated version of PJ offensively (with good enough defense)...he's less important for Philly. I hoped that the center position would be more his role, but it wasn't great with Harden out (though it was effective with Harden reprising their Houston days). Melton is a great fit with the starters as you have volume 3pt shooting and perimeter defense, and secondary playmaking. Harden can defend the least dangerous player 1-4.

But again to PJs credit, the teams they really need to go through, he'll be vital...and has proven effective vs them so far this season.

[ExplosionsInDaSky]

Melton fits better than Maxey, playing besides Harden, as he´s way better defensively. In the other hand, Maxey gets a lot of easy looks playing with Harden. Do you guys think Melton could play SF, so we can bench PJ? He´s a little bit small, but he has a pretty good wingspan. I think that would be our best lineup.

Absolutely he can survive and flourish in a three guard lineup. As Jailblazers stated, you'd have to make Harden defend the 3's though. Melton is a great defensive player but I'm not sure how he'd do guarding Jayson Tatum. It'd be worth a shot to see if he could do it though. I think it will depend on matchups. If we're playing Milwaukee, you probably don't want a three guard lineup against them unless Middleton is out of the picture. Teams like Milwaukee and Boston are the reason we are employing PJ Tucker. With that said, I think Melton needs to be on the floor as much as possible. He's listed at 6'2, but he plays a lot bigger than his height suggests. I don't know how he'd do in the post trying to guard an Andrew Wiggins or the aforementioned Tatum, but if he has them on the perimeter, I like his chances of forcing them into taking a bad shot. I also like his chances at staying with guards like D Mitchell, and Garland if he has to. I think he can guard a Jimmy Butler for stretches in a game, I think he can guard a Kyrie Irving, Brad Beal, I think he's quick enough to give Ja Morant trouble as well. I mention these players because these are the potential forces we will be tasked with stopping in the postseason. I think this current Sixers team is better than any team we've ever had since the Embiid era began, but our record hasn't shown that yet. It's not out of the question that this team makes a big in season run that translates over to the postseason. I think Melton is the third most important player on this roster right now. His offense has really surprised me. I had no clue he was that talented on the offensive end. I thought he was simply a 3&D guard. Seems to me that we have our own version of Mikal Bridges after all. He's just not 6'7, but he's as valuable to us as Bridges is to the Phoenix Suns.

[76ciology]

Melton fits better than Maxey, playing besides Harden, as he´s way better defensively. In the other hand, Maxey gets a lot of easy looks playing with Harden. Do you guys think Melton could play SF, so we can bench PJ? He´s a little bit small, but he has a pretty good wingspan. I think that would be our best lineup.

Yes, Melton fits better with our starting unit where it does not need Maxey’s scoring unless Harden and Biid are both struggling.

Considering both ends of the court, there are two 5 man units I think is best in crunch time in the playoffs.

Melton
Harden
PJ
Tobias
Embiid
*default

Or

Maxey
Harden
Melton
Reed
Biid
*if Biid is struggling

Or

Maxey
Melton
Tucker
Tobias
Biid
*if Harden is struggling

If you have to play Maxey and Harden, you need to replace players who can compensate on defense because you’ll end up a lot of dribble penetrations.

PJ and Tobi are there to limit penetrations. Then you have Melton and Biid for steals and blocks.

[SixthStreet]

Closing lineup should be Harden, Maxey, Melton, Tucker, and Embiid.

[Lou_23]

I cant understand why the Grizzlies traded this guy for a late 1 round pick. Young, still two years with a good contract, and the perfect role player for a contending team.

What a steal did Morey.

[Bum Adebayo]

He has already established as our second best player, 3rd at worst, nice work by the young fella!
Melton has higher RPM than Maxey he is clearly the superior player.

[Jailblazers7]

I cant understand why the Grizzlies traded this guy for a late 1 round pick. Young, still two years with a good contract, and the perfect role player for a contending team.

What a steal did Morey.

They just have an embarrassment of riches and needed to open minutes in the rotation. Getting a 1st and a great vet in Danny Green to settle down their wild young players was enough because they have so much talent.

[HotelVitale]

I cant understand why the Grizzlies traded this guy for a late 1 round pick. Young, still two years with a good contract, and the perfect role player for a contending team.

What a steal did Morey.

They just have an embarrassment of riches and needed to open minutes in the rotation. Getting a 1st and a great vet in Danny Green to settle down their wild young players was enough because they have so much talent.

Green was an expiring for salary purposes, but yeah they just wanted to cash out Melton at the right time. He’ll need to get paid after next year, he’s small next to Ja and didn’t seem like he could take them to the next level in the PO, shooting is streaky, and they have other options at those spots that they thought would be some balance of cheaper, better fits, and more reliable. They’re thinking long term and now and want to keep bringing in cheap rotation depth for the present and future.

Awesome trade for us but there’s a very good chance it looks like a good call for the Grizz too in a year or two. When Melton’s getting paid $20m/season and a combo of Roddy, Laravia, Konchar, Ziaire, etc are filling the rotation wing spots pretty well and giving them different looks for cheap.