Milwaukee Bucks: 2016 Offseason Grades
Delly Deal
The Bucks got unfairly judged on this deal when their $38.4 million offer sheet for restricted free agent Matthew Dellavedova turned into a sign-and-trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers, but rest assured, it’s really not as bad as it seems.
In their exchange with the defending champs, Milwaukee still signed Delly to the original $38.4 million deal over four years, but all they gave up were the rights to Albert Miralles — a 34-year-old originally drafted in 2004 who will never play in the NBA anyway.
Though the deal hard-capped Milwaukee at $4 million above the luxury tax line, the Bucks didn’t reach that point and had no incentive to do so anyway. Sure, they gave the Cavs a nice trade exception used to bring aboard Mike Dunleavy, but the Bucks shouldn’t be knocked just because this offer sheet turned into a sign-and-trade.
Matthew Dellavedova eFG% on unguarded jump shots was a terrific 71%. Also finished top-10 in points from floaters.
— Synergy Basketball (@SynergySST) July 1, 2016
Though $9.6 million a year seems like a high price to pay for a guy who was praised/criticized for being little more than a hustle/dirty player a year ago, most of those people didn’t pay attention to his vastly improved 2015-16 campaign.
Delly is not the most refined player we’ve ever seen, and his jump shot is still more destructively ugly than Medusa in a funhouse, but he’s coming off a career year with the Cavs, averaging 7.5 points and 4.4 assists per game on 41 percent shooting from downtown — all career highs.
With MCW’s future uncertain and Ennis still being an unreliable youngster, Delly bolsters Milwaukee’s backcourt with a player who can log minutes at both the 1 and the 2. He adds three-point shooting, hard-nosed defense, and on a team with oodles of length, will provide spot-on lobs for alley-oops. It seems like a lot to pay for a backup guard, but Delly is actually a pretty solid addition.
Grade: B
Next: Plumlee's Plump Payday