The 2026-27 season is slowly lurking. Soon enough, 76ers fans should be able to catch a real glimpse of what the revamped squad looks like on the hardwood. Philly is widely reckoned as a title favorite on the strength of their star-studded lineup, but given how opportunistic the new front office has been all summer long, they will undoubtedly remain on the lookout for some low-cost trade targets. To that effect, one name they should have on their radar is former 76ers guard De’Anthony Melton.
Melton, who re-signed with the Warriors this offseason to the tune of a two-year, $12.4 million deal, is coming off a strong comeback campaign. After an ACL injury cut short his initial season in Golden State, the Dubs brought him back, and he certainly did not disappoint. That being said, if the Warriors end up lagging behind in the brutal race out West, their front office could start selling their veterans and Melton should be one of their more attractive assets.
76ers could trade for De’Anthony Melton if the Warriors crumble
The 76ers have one of the best bench squads in the league, at least on paper. In the backcourt, they already have Labaron Philon Jr. and Anfernee Simons –– two score-first guards who can finally put a governor on the team’s lack of reliable bench scoring in the last couple of seasons.
There is quite an overlap in skill set between those two, though. Someone like Melton, a three-and-D combo guard who can do a little bit of everything while being a steady defender, could help balance out their second unit a plug-and-play piece whom the coaching staff can deploy to give the team a lift on D while not conceding much from beyond the arc.
Melton also has some familiarity with Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid, having played with them as part of the 76ers roster for two seasons. Back then, he was a key part of the rotation, even starting a bunch of games as a low-usage, defensive-minded guard who complemented James Harden and Maxey well.
Golden State is simply way too old at this juncture, and once they realize they would be better off extracting assets out of their veterans, they should have a much better footing for their impending and inevitable rebuild. Once that happens, the 76ers should immediately come knocking on the Warriors’ doors to inquire about their former cager, De’Anthony Melton.
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