Milwaukee Bucks: With Khris Middleton Out, Who Steps Up?

Matthew Dellavedova

At the point guard position, the Bucks will have both Matthew Dellavedova and Michael Carter-Williams battling it out for the starting spot.

Dellavedova signed a four-year, $38-million contract with Milwaukee earlier in the summer, just a month after winning the NBA title with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Known around the league as a gritty defender, “Delly” can lock down opposing guards with his aggressive play. The Bucks will definitely need a top-tier defender on the floor, as Giannis cannot do it all on his own and as such, it seems inevitable that the Australian will be called upon to help out.

Another benefit of having Dellavedova on the floor is that it allows Giannis to guard different positions. Even with Point Giannis becoming the primary ball-handler, he should not be called upon to guard point guards. That is where Dellavedova should thrive.

On the offensive end, Delly can be a sniper from behind the arc. Among players qualified for the league leaders in three-point percentage, Delly ranked 11th, shooting just below a 41 percent clip. There may be no LeBron to pass to him this year, but in terms of style he has the next best thing. Giannis is the closest thing to LeBron in the NBA right now, so Delly should fit right in.

One facet of Delly’s game that consistently goes unnoticed is his floater. When called upon to do so, Dellavedova can create for himself. When he does so, his most effective move is to attack the paint and operate from there. With an impressive jump stop in the lane, Delly then gives himself the option to either kick the ball out or float one up towards the rim. Delly’s floater is very difficult to stop and is a nice weapon to have in his offensive artillery.