Milwaukee Bucks: The Cleveland Perspective on Matthew Dellavedova

Coming to Milwaukee, Dellavedova is going to join a team in which Giannis Antetokounmpo has control of the ball. He fit in well in a similar capacity in Cleveland, do you envision him meshing well with a point forward even if asked to play more minutes or a bigger role?

AF: Playing off the ball will be a good fit for Dellavedova. He has a 14.1 career usage rate, so he’s used to being a floor spacer and playing off the ball. As he has continually improved as a shooter, he hit a career-high 41.0 percent of three’s last season, he becomes even more valuable. I expect him to have the ball in his hands more in Milwaukee, which could cause some growing pains since he has a 17.7 turnover rate. Overall, he’s best suited to playing off the ball and spacing the floor. When he does get his reps with the first unit, he’ll be in a familiar situation.

CDS: Delly had a great regular season last year shooting the ball, as he became a pretty reliable catch-and-shoot three-point option for the Cavs. I suspect he’ll have a pretty similar role on the Bucks second unit, maybe even forming an alley-oop tandem with John Henson or Thon Maker like he did so regularly with Tristan Thompson.

JG: John Hammond’s not dumb. There’s a reason he prioritized Delly in free agency. I think his fit next to Point Giannis and the rest of the team is seamless. He can play in a similar role to that of Jerryd Bayless from a year ago, however he’s a far superior defender compared to Bayless. He’s also improved as a three-point shooter each of his three years in the league (37%, 40%, 41%) while upping his three-point attempts in each successive season (0.8, 1.0, 1.3). I think he could eventually break into the starting lineup because of the spacing he provides relative to MCW, who’s proven to be a horrific shooter outside the paint.

MR: Yes, he would seem to mesh well with a point forward and would fit in well in a similar role in Cleveland. He’s a great spot-up shooter and a great passer, especially with alley-oops. He will build up chemistry with many on the team and will find them in ways that will pleasantly surprise you, if not excite you. Asking Delly to play more minutes isn’t an issue and he’ll never back down from the taking on the challenge of a bigger role. He’s fully capable and more than willing, but sharing his position with another guard will be helpful as it will give Delly the physical and mental breaks he needs to shine in his role.

JF: Playing with a point forward like Antetokoumpo is ideal for Dellavedova. He can be a good ball handler and facilitator, but I was always worried when he was on the floor without another player that could also handle those duties too. Dellavedova can easily fall into the trap of trying to do too much offensively.

Delly’s ability to play with a point forward was illustrated by looking at his two-man lineup combinations. The Cavs were a +17.9 per 100 possessions when Dellavedova was on the floor with James. Having someone like LeBron or Antetokounmpo on the floor with him is ideal because it allows him to play within himself. It’s unrealistic to expect Dellavedova and Antetokounmpo to match the success of him and LeBron, but Delly has shown that he can effectively play with another ball handler on the floor.

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