Cleveland Cavaliers have re-signed backup point guard Matthew Dellavedova for the next season, according to ESPN.
The 24-year-old Australian, currently a restricted free agent, has accepted Cavs’ one-year qualifying worth around $1.2 million, which means he can become an unrestricted free agent at the end of next season when salary cap of the league will increase. Last season, he had earned $816,000.
Dellavedova emerged as a surprise hero for Cavs during the NBA finals in 2015-16 season when he replaced injured All-Star guard Kyrie Irving.
Though the Cavs signed Mo Williams in a $4.3 million deal earlier this month to serve as a frontline point guard, they also wanted to boost their backcourt depth by keeping Dellavedova.
Dellavedova managed 67 appearances including 13 starts during the regular 2014-15 season, having averaged 4.8 points, 3.0 assists and 1.9 rebounds in 20 minutes per game.
However, the Australian had to take up a key role after Irving sidelined due to injury in the playoffs, wherein he averaged 7.2 points and 2.7 assists in 24.9 minutes per game.
He scored 19 points against Chicago in the second round to help Cavs clinch the series and registered his career-high 20 points in playoffs against Golden State in the third game of NBA Finals.
Dellavedova is the fifth player to have re-signed with Cavs this summer after Kevin Love, LeBron James, James Jones and Iman Shumpert.
The Quicken Loans Arena outfit are also keen to re-sign free agents J.R. Smith and Tristan Thompson ahead of the next season.
