So that’s another member of last year’s squad that Philadelphia will be moving on from. The Athletic’s Shams Charania has reported that De’Anthony Melton is signing a one-year, $12 million deal with the Golden State Warriors.
This news came minutes after it was reported that Nico Batum will be heading back to the Clippers on a two-year deal.
Going into last season, it looked like Melton’s next contract would be too pricey for the Sixers to keep around. While that still ended up being the case, a lingering back issue did make it seem like a door might have been open for a return to Philly.
Looking at that $12.8 million, it appears the Warriors will use the full non-tax payer mid-level exception to sign Melton.
That’s something that wasn’t an option for the Sixers, given that it looks like they’ve used the room mid-level exception to bring back Kelly Oubre Jr.
So while it’s a bummer that Melton’s back issues caused his Sixers’ tenure to fizzle out, Philadelphia will have to look elsewhere to fill out their backcourt.