Rockets: 3 things we learned about De’Anthony Melton in the Summer League

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LAS VEGAS, NV – JULY 9: Vincent Edwards #6 of the Houston Rockets helps De’Anthony Melton #0 of the Houston Rockets from the floor during the 2018 Las Vegas Summer League on July 9, 2018 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) /

He hustles hard on every possession

Alright. The defense and improved shooting are very impressive traits that De’Anthony Melton showed during the Summer Leauge. One other that was incredible to watch was his hustle and willingness to do whatever it takes to win.

Throughout the league, Melton constantly showed his hustle. The man is a point guard and averaged 7.2 rebounds a game, for goodness’ sake.

He has that knack for grabbing rebounds and hustling that I see in Patrick Beverley, and that is a very solid comparison for him. He might not have the shooting of Bev quite yet, but he is well on his way to being that type of player for the Rockets if he can do similar things against NBA-level talent.

Check out his hustle on this possession. He scores a tough layup, then gets an unreal steal:

Unreal amount of hustle by Melton. pic.twitter.com/xbtoS03Irk

— Space City Scoop (@SpaceCity_Scoop) July 14, 2018

That’s part of his defensive instincts, but it’s also a part of his ridiculous hustle that he shows 24/7 while he’s on the court. That will be very nice to have, especially as a rookie looking to get minutes on the second-best team in the NBA.

His impact this season

I think that De’Anthony Melton has a very real possibility to earn that fourth guard role at some point this season. I think Michael Carter-Williams will start with that role and Melton may start in the G League, but he should be up-and-down with the squad throughout the season.

Next: The Rockets may have met with Rodney Hood

The Rockets should use a portion of the MLE to sign Melton up to three years. By his third year, I expect him to be a regular role player for the team. He has a ton of upside and I cannot wait to see him with the actual team.