Three Bs: Matthew Dellavedova

Welcome to Brew Hoop’s entirely subjective and emotionally-driven 2017-18 Milwaukee Bucks season player evaluations. For this series, we wanted to look at each current Buck and ask three questions: what they do that helps (Boon), what they do that hurts (Bane), and whether they ought to be on this team (Belonging).

I had a cool logo featuring a trio of Bs, but got a “cease and desist” notice from a lawyer wearing $200 flip flops. Oh well. Today, we’re looking at the Bucks’ chief purveyor of avocado toast, Matthew Dellavedova.

Season Stats (per 36 minutes – rank at position)

• Points/36: 8.3 (88th among point guards)
• Assists/36: 7.3 (20th among point guards)
• Turnovers/36: 2.5 (45th among point guards)
• 3Pt%: 0.372 (25th among point guards)

Delly’s Boon: (Simple) Playmaking

With a 2.92 A/TO ratio and a 27.4% Assist Percentage, Delly generally does good things with the ball. He won’t make fancy passes or toss up flashy alley-oops, but he will get the ball to teammates in advantageous positions more often than not. He knows his strengths and, more importantly, his weaknesses, and conducts himself accordingly. He might be a predictable player, but offenses are often successful with him calling the shots.

Delly’s Bane: Extended Reliance

If he’s asked to do more than the core elements of a minimal job description, Delly’s performance takes a massive dip. He makes smart plays, but cannot create for himself. He can shoot the three, but needs time and space to launch it. He can get into the lane, but his floaters are usually stinkers. He’s a gritty defender, but is too easily shaken loose or brushed aside. He cannot bring the ball up the court under pressure, and rarely demonstrates the ability to execute certain plays, even if he identifies that they’re necessary. In a word, Delly is limited, and cannot be relied upon for more than he can offer.

Does Delly Belong?

Delly, a low-ceiling reserve point guard for his career in Cleveland, was a major beneficiary of the league’s Summer Spending Spree of 2016. The problem: he’s not skilled enough to climb up the depth chart, but makes as much as a top-tier backup or low-end starter. In a vacuum, his 2016 contract wasn’t that bad, but combined with the Bucks’ other medium-sized salaries, it creates a cap logjam where the Bucks can’t afford the flexibility they’d prefer to have. Dellavedova is a nice safety net to have, but at his price the Bucks should be ready to move on if the opportunity arises.