Matthew Dellavedova was looking for a deal worth about $4 million annually as a restricted free agent this offseason, but it didn't look like anybody was willing to give him that.
The Cavaliers had interest in bringing Dellavedova back, but only at their price, and it appears that is exactly what happened, as the Cavs and Delly have reportedly agreed to a deal, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com.
The reported deal is for one year and approximately $1.2 million, which would make him an unrestricted free agent after this season. Dellavedova became a fan favorite in Cleveland during its run in the playoffs as he was forced to play huge minutes in the NBA Finals when Kyrie Irving suffered a knee injury. Dellavedova won Cavaliers fans over with his constant effort, as he was always diving for loose balls and making gritty plays.
Dellavedova tried to cash in on the popularity he gained from the NBA Finals by asking for $4 million a year, but the odds were always against him getting that money. Despite his constant effort, Dellavedova hasn't put up great numbers in the NBA. With a career PER of 9.6, Delly has plenty of room for improvement, but having said that, he is coming off a year when he shot 41 percent from three and is a career 39 percent three-point shooter, which means he does have some value.
Dellavedova is considered by many to be the defensive point guard on the Cavaliers, but in reality he is an OK defender - not the "Steph Curry stopper" people made him out to be at points during the finals.
Playing time might be hard to come by for the Australia native this season, though, as the Cavaliers also signed Mo Williams to a deal to be their backup point guard, leaving Delly as the third point guard on the depth chart. Irving is expected to be healthy to start next season and is the clear starter, so Dellavedova is going to have to fight for minutes.
LeBron James and Cavaliers fans seem to love Dellavedova and the toughness he brings to the team, so Cleveland was wise to re-sign him. It will be interesting to see if he gets significant minutes next season, and if he does, what kind of offers he gets as a free agent next offseason.
