Sixers ‘Hopeful’ Veteran Starter Returns Before Season Concludes

The status of Philadelphia 76ers guard De'Anthony Melton is uncertain.

Dec 25, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat guard Kyle Lowry (7) defends Philadelphia 76ers guard / Rhona Wise-USA TODAY Sports

A back injury has sidelined Philadelphia 76ers guard De’Anthony Melton on multiple occasions throughout the 2023-2024 NBA season.

Following a Sixers’ loss against the Chicago Bulls on December 30, Melton missed three games in a row due to a back-related setback. On January 10, he returned to action to take on the Atlanta Hawks.

Melton’s presence back in the Sixers’ starting five would last just two games. After the Sixers’ January 12 win over the Sacramento Kings, Melton went inactive again. That time, it was for a long stretch.

Needing multiple weeks of recovery, Melton missed 18-straight games for the Sixers. On February 23, he returned to the rotation against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Being that he missed so much time, Melton was eased back into the rotation, collecting just 16 minutes of playing time off the bench.

In the following game, Melton continued to serve as a reserve but saw a slight increase in minutes. Everything was looking up for the veteran. In the loss against the Milwaukee Bucks, he knocked down 50 percent of his threes and scored 16 points in his second game back.

Unfortunately, his third outing ended prematurely. After checking in for a little under nine minutes, Melton experienced back spasms. At that point, the Sixers ruled out the guard indefinitely, and he hasn’t suited up since.

Friday’s game against Cleveland will be the 16th game Melton will miss in a row. With just a handful of games remaining the regular season, the veteran starter is approaching tough territory. Will Melton return soon? According to Nurse, he’s “probably not as close” as his teammate, Robert Covington, who has been out for several months due to a knee bruise.

Will he miss the remainder of the regular season? There’s hope that's not the case.

“We’re kind of hopeful that both of them will be back at some point before this regular season ends,” Nurse told reporters on Wednesday night ahead of the Sixers’ matchup against the Clippers. Currently, Melton is dealing with “a pain tolerance thing.”

In 36 games this year, Melton averaged 12 points, four rebounds, three assists, and two steals per game. While his offensive efficiency was down compared to his first season with the Sixers last year, Melton’s two-way value playing alongside Tyrese Maxey was helpful, especially on the defensive end.

It remains unclear if the Sixers will get their veteran back in time for the final stages of the playoff push.