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Last updated: 9/30/2019
Last updated: 9/30/2019
Last updated: 9/30/2019
Summary
Melton entered his rookie season in'18-'19 with the reputation as a potential defensive specialist. Melton showed flashes of that in Phoenix, using his length to be disruptive at the end. However, Melton did not appear to have the on-ball defensive abilities to lock down offensive players in the manner many had hoped. In addition, Melton failed to hit shots at an efficient rate from anywhere on the floor, despite showing some creativity in the pick-and-roll and when driving to the rim.
After being traded to Memphis last summer, Melton had a breakout year, thriving on a Grizzlies bench squad that helped lead Memphis to a surprisingly successful season. Melton showed real ability to operate as an off-ball combo guard. He may not have the skills to be a primary ball-handler, but he has shown some ability to attack off the catch, and has some creative passing ability as well. While there are still questions about his shooting ability, he did show some improvement from his rookie season. He can defend both guard positions, and can be disruptive as an off-ball defender as well.
Dante Exum got a 3-year, $33 million contract in 2018, and Melton will likely be using that as a measuring stick. He may not have the lottery-pick shine that Exum still had going into 2018, but he will actually be younger than Exum was one he got that contract, and arguably as proven more.
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Cap Considerations
Melton will be a restricted free agent with a $1.8 million cap hold and a $1.8 million Qualifying Offer, and the Grizzlies will have his Early Bird rights. If the Grizzlies re-sign Melton using the Early-Bird Exception, they could offer him a starting salary of up to 105% of the average salary this past season (roughly $10 million).
Since Melton will only have two years of service, he will be subject to the Gilbert Arenas provision. This means that any offer sheet he signs with a team besides Memphis can have a starting maximum salary of $9.3 million, but the third and potentially fourth years of that contract can have a large jump (up to the max). His cap hit would then be the average salary over the life of the contract. If the Grizzlies match, they could choose for his cap hit to either be his actual salary per season or the average over the life of the contract, provided the average fits within the Early Bird Exception. I do not expect this to come into play for Melton, as I think any offers for him would fit within the full Non-Taxpayer MLE, but it certainly is a possibility based on his age and what he showed this season.
Potential Teams: Grizzlies, Pistons, Magic, Hawks, Hornets
Predicted Contract: 2-year, $20 million with the Grizzlies
Actual Contract: 4-year, $34.6 million ($1.5 million guaranteed final year) with the Grizzlies
I thought Melton could get $10 million a year, but he got a little less than that but on a longer contract, locking in some security for a guy who has only played two seasons making the minimum so far.
Last updated: 12/31/2020
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