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Dellavedova has been a trusted reserve guard with the Cavaliers and Bucks through the first seven years of his career, but even on the occasions he's received big minutes, he typically doesn't offer much fantasy-relevant production outside of assists. In 2020-21, he'll be backing up second-year point guard Darius Garland. Unless you're in one of the deepest fantasy leagues, there's no reason to entertain drafting Dellavedova. Last season, he averaged 3.1 points and 3.2 assists in 14.4 minutes of run.
Dellavedova delivered averages of 5.9 points (40.5 FG%, 33.8 3P%, 80.8 FT%), 3.8 assists, 1.6 rebounds, 0.9 threes and 0.3 steals in 16.9 minutes per game across 48 appearances in 2018-19. None of those numbers are significantly worse than his career averages. However, Dellavedova did finish with career lows in boards, steals and minutes. He was mostly a bench warmer for the Bucks in the beginning of the season, averaging just 8.1 minutes through 12 games before being traded to the Cavaliers. In Cleveland, Dellavedova supplied a decent stat line of 7.3 points (41.3 FG%, 33.6 3P%, 79.2 FT%), 4.2 dimes, 1.9 rebounds, 1.1 threes, 0.3 steals and 0.1 blocks in 19.9 minutes per contest before a concussion sidelined him for the final month of the season. Nevertheless, with the Cavaliers drafting another point guard in Darius Garland to go along with Collin Sexton, Jordan Clarkson and Brandon Knight, Dellavedova's counting stats may suffer an even more noticeable nosedive in 2019-20.
Knee and ankle injuries limited the now-fifth-year guard to 38 games -- 4.3 points and 3.8 assists on 36.2 percent shooting -- in 2017-18. When he did play, Dellavedova saw dip of nearly 10 minutes per game compared to his first campaign in Milwaukee, due in large part to the early-season acquisition of Eric Bledsoe. Dellavedova have even more competition for minutes this time around, as the Bucks added combo-guard Donte DiVincenzo through the draft and Pat Connaughton in free agency. As a result, Dellavedova, who was openly on the trade block this summer, should be avoided in most formats.
Dellavedova’s first season as a Buck following the signing of a four-year, $38 million deal with the team in July 2016 wasn’t particularly impressive. He posted just 7.6 points and 4.7 assists per game while shooting an abysmal 39.0 percent from the field and an underwhelming 36.7 percent from deep. His workload of 26.1 minutes per game also was lower than expected, largely due to the emergence of Rookie of the Year combo guard Malcolm Brogdon, who outplayed Dellavedova on many occasions. As a result, Dellavedova started just 54 of his 76 appearances. Despite the fact he doesn’t necessarily fit the typical Bucks mold of a positionless, lanky player, Dellavedova is still a pestering defender and a solid three-point shooter who may just have had a down year from beyond the arc last year. All of that said, it seems doubtful that his workload will fluctuate hard one way or another considering the Bucks made few significant changes to their backcourt during the offseason. Drafting Dellavedova with the assumption he’ll make a leap in either workload or production is probably misguided, and he probably can be avoided in all but the deepest of leagues.
Thrust into the starting lineup in the NBA finals by a knee injury to Kyrie Irving, Dellavedova came up big in consecutive games. In Game 2, the undrafted free agent from St. Mary's College bedeviled Stephen Curry into a 5-of-23 performance. In Game 3, Dellavedova scored a career-high 20 points. The Aussie guard's sterling performances led the Cavaliers to their two wins in the series and nearly ensured that Dellavedova would be back on an NBA roster in 2015-16. As it turned out, Delly will stay in Cleveland where he has spent the first two years of his career. In his second season, the 6-4 guard appeared in 72 games, including four starts, for 18 minutes. He averaged 4.7 points, including 0.8 three-pointers on 41 percent from the field and 79 percent from the line. Dellavedova added 1.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 0.5 steals, and 0.1 blocks. With the Cavaliers signing Mo Williams to be Irving's primary backup, Dellavedova will have to scrap for minutes. He will continue to make his bones by being a defensive replacement. Neither Irving nor Williams are staunch defensively, so the 24-year-old should see regular minutes in his third season.
Matthew Dellavedova forged a role on the 2013-14 Cavaliers as a backup guard who then-coach Mike Brown could count on to play perimeter defense better than the starters. The 6-4 native of Australia appeared in 72 games (starting four) and averaged 4.7 points, 1.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 0.5 steals in 18 minutes per game. He hit 41 percent of his field goals and 79 percent of his free throws but knocked down a robust 37 percent of his three-pointers for 0.8 three-pointers per game. As his rookie season went along, he earned more playing time and averaged 22 minutes in 29 games after the All-Star break. It seems somewhat unlikely that Dellavedova will earn as many minutes on the LeBron James-led Cavaliers of 2014-15. The good news is that the team has an opening at backup point guard behind Kyrie Irving. By continuing to play heads-up defense and hitting three-pointers, the former St. Mary's College star could continue to play a reserve role. New coach David Blatt likes his players to be aggressive defensively, so Dellavedova could figure into his reserve unit plans. He should get some quality international experience over the summer representing Australia in the FIBA World Cup.