76ers vs. Kings: De’Anthony Melton’s Playing Status Downgraded

UPDATE: De'Anthony Melton has been downgraded to OUT for Tuesday's game. Just as it seemed the Philadelphia 76ers were going to take another step towards

UPDATE: De'Anthony Melton has been downgraded to OUT for Tuesday's game.

Just as it seemed the Philadelphia 76ers were going to take another step towards getting fully healthy by getting another injured player back in the fold on Tuesday night, the team adds another prospect to the injury report.

Sixers guard De’Anthony Melton wasn’t previously listed on the team’s injury report, but he was added on Tuesday morning as the Sixers prepare to face off against the Sacramento Kings for the first time this season.

According to the injury report, Melton is battling back tightness. Therefore, he is questionable for the matchup, which is set to begin at 7 PM ET.

Lately, Melton’s been thriving in his improved role with the Sixers. As the third-year guard Tyrese Maxey remains off the court due to a fractured foot, Melton has been playing with the starting five. For the last 12 games, Melton’s averaged 35 minutes on the court while starting.

With increased minutes, Melton has produced 15 points per game while knocking down 42 percent of his field goals, draining 43 percent of his threes on eight attempts per game. While Melton will certainly return to a role off the bench when Maxey’s back in action, his recent surge in production on the offensive end inspires hope for the future of Philadelphia’s bench play.

What if Melton Doesn’t Go?

If Melton’s lingering back issues do indeed keep him off the court on Tuesday night, the Sixers have several options to replace him.

The logical choice would be Shake Milton. Before James Harden returned to the Sixers’ lineup after battling a tendon strain, Milton started in eight-straight games. During that time, he thrived by averaging 21 points while knocking down 46 percent of his threes.

If Rivers wants to keep Milton coming off the bench as the team’s second ball-handler, Danuel House Jr. or Matisse Thybulle could get a look to start on Tuesday. House, who is probable after missing two games, started two games earlier this year. As for Thybulle, he started in three matchups. 

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.