Former Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Matthew Dellavedova. (Photo : Getty Images)
Australian point guard Matthew Dellavedova agreed to join the Milwaukee Bucks on a four-year, $38.4 million deal starting next season as his former club, Cleveland Cavaliers, will reportedly not match the said offer.
ESPN reported that "the Cavaliers and Bucks had engaged in sign-and-trade talks about Dellavedova, but the Bucks remained confident that the Cavs would not match the offer sheet".
The reigning NBA champions will have three days to do so as soon as the contract is signed on July 7, the first day of signings for this summer's free agents.
The report noted that Milwaukee had long been interested in acquiring the 25-year-old Maryborough, Victoria native and had even "sent scouts to Cleveland during the playoffs to evaluate Dellavedova". Even Bucks head coach Jason Kidd allegedly attended one of the recent NBA Finals' games to check out the three-year pro.
Dellavedova, or Delly to his peers, joined the NBA in 2013 as an undrafted player out of Saint Mary's. He played for the Cavs during that year's NBA Summer League before signing a two-year, $1.3 million deal with Cleveland.
He just finished the one-year, $1.14 million deal he signed with the Cavs last summer which made him an unrestricted free agent this month.
The $38.4 million Bucks offer is far and above the largest salary Dellavedova would earn so far in the NBA.
Cavs team leader LeBron James was fully supportive of Delly's decision to join the Bucks, congratulating him in a social media post and saying "Good luck in Milwaukee! Very deserving to you and your family."
As the primary backup for starting point guard Kyrie Irving, Dellavedova played his career-best season in 2015-2016 for the Cavs, producing career-high numbers in almost all categories such as 7.5 points, 2.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 0.6 steals, and 24.6 minutes per game.
He also shot a career-high 41.0 percent from three-point range and 86.4 percent from the free throw line. His 76-game appearance for the Cavs, starting in 14, were also career-highs for the 6-foot-4, 198-pound guard.
Fox Sports noted that Dellavedova will be mostly utilized by the Bucks on the defensive end, where he is known as a gritty, all-around, hustle player with the Cavs. His improved shooting from the perimeter is also an added benefit for Milwaukee next season.
