Matthew Dellavedova, the Curry-almost-stopping, coffee-chugging Aussie who captivated during the early games of the 2015 NBA Finals, is staying in Cleveland.
The Cavaliers' backup point guard will sign a one-year deal worth about $1.2 million, ESPN reports. Either unable or unwilling to capitalize on his Finals showing, Dellavedova returns to his role as All-Star Kyrie Irving's backup and a bench spark.
The contract is Dellavedova's qualifying offer, the amount the Cavs used to retain his rights as a restricted free agent this offseason. Dellavedova has another qualifying offer for next season, so the Cavaliers can make him a restricted free agent again.
Dellavedova drew praise for his performances in Games 2 and 3 of the Finals, the Cavs' only wins of the series against the Warriors. He did a strong defensive job against NBA MVP Stephen Curry, who later seemed to figure out what was wrong and concluded the series well. The role was important because Irving was out with a knee injury.
The Cavaliers brought back veteran guard Mo Williams, a more offensive-minded backup who had played with LeBron James for the Cavaliers in James' previous stint. Dellavedova now will have more competition for minutes, which could be fine for Cleveland, as he had never reached that consistent level of production before the playoffs.
Still, Dellavedova is a good shooter and is bigger and stronger than most point guards. He could be an asset, even off the bench in a limited role.