2019 NBA free agency tracker: Grades for every deal so far
Nicolo Melli: 2 years, $8 million (New Orleans Pelicans)
EuroLeague power forward Nicolo Melli is finalizing a two-year deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, sources tell ESPN. Melli, 28, was the top scorer in the EuroLeague Finals for Fenerbahce last season.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2019
Nicolo Melli is a name that probably wasn’t on 99 percent of NBA fans’ radars heading into free agency, but the 28-year-old stretch-big from Italy could find a way to carve out minutes off the bench with such a young nucleus. The New Orleans Pelicans need shooting, which is what Melli can provide.
As the top scorer in the EuroLeague Finals for Fenerbahce last year, Melli averaged 7.3 points and 4.1 rebounds per game overall, shooting 38.5 percent from 3-point range on 2.7 attempts per game. He’s played professionally in Turkey, Germany and Italy.
At 6’9″, and on a mere $4 million salary per season, Melli probably deserves the benefit of the doubt, given how terrific a summer David Griffin is having so far.
Grade: C