76ers Taking Right Approach With De'Anthony Melton's Slump

De'Anthony Melton's slumping. The 76ers are encouraging.

The start to the 2023-2024 NBA season hasn’t been kind to Philadelphia 76ers guard De’Anthony Melton. 

After getting promoted to the Sixers’ starting five full-time, due to the absence of the ten-time All-Star James Harden, who was deep into a trade request, Melton has struggled offensively.

Appearing in all seven games, Melton averaged 27 minutes on the court. He’s put up 7.6 points per game while shooting 29 percent from the field. Taking nearly five threes per game, Melton has struggled to average more than 33 percent of his shots from deep after averaging just under 40 percent last year.

Seven games of evidence won’t project that Melton will have a bad season on the Sixers. However, seven games of evidence could prove that Melton has found himself in a slump officially.

The good news for the guard is that the Sixers won’t cut his playing time or opportunities for two reasons.

1. Melton still brings value on the defensive end of the floor, which is just as important as a player’s shooting. 
2. Melton has the trust and confidence of his teammates, including the star leader, Joel Embiid.

“[I tell him to] keep shooting,” Embiid said earlier this week. “Keep shooting. They’re gonna fall at some point. You can’t tell him not to keep shooting. He’s a great shooter so you gotta keep telling him keep shooting, keep shooting even if he misses it. Even if he goes 0-for-10, 0-for-15. Wide-open. Shoot it. Not even wide open — if you think you can make it, then take it.”

Beyond the arc is where Melton gets most of his shooting opportunities. Over the past three seasons, Melton has averaged 39 percent from three. During his first full run in Philadelphia, he ranked in the 75th percentile in three-point shooting for combo guards across the NBA.

With over 400 threes attempted last season with the Sixers, the team is far from concerned about Melton’s shot in the long term. And with a little encouragement from his teammates, Melton remains in a good head space, which is key to keeping him on track.

“It’s nice to feel [supported],” Melton told reporters on Friday. “They’re gonna joke about it, too, at the same time, but it’s always good to hear that from your teammates to keep shooting, keep firing, and I have a lot of confidence in myself. I feel like I do, but some of them are just not dropping.”

Anybody in the NBA will say a shooter can’t climb out of his slump if he stops shooting. Melton is living by that logic, as he’s attempted 29 shots over the last three games. 

When will it all come together? Nobody has a crystal ball, but a little time and patience can go a long way. And once Melton figures it out, the Sixers will only grow stronger since they’ve won six of their first seven games amidst the slump.