Matthew Dellavedova not thinking contract talks ahead of Melbourne United v South East Melbourne Phoenix
As Melbourne United gears up for a ladder-shaping clash with bitter rival South East Melbourne, out-of-contract star guard Matthew Dellavedova has addressed his future in the NBL.
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.Out-of-contract Melbourne United guard Matthew Dellavedova has played a straight bat to speculation around his future.
Boomers bronze medallist believes he’s finding health and form at the pointy end of the season and is looking forward to another chance at an NBL title, after his side fell agonisingly short in last year’s epic grand final series.
“My sole focus is helping United win a championship this season,” Dellavedova said in response to questions about negotiations around his next deal.
“I feel like I started (the season) strong, (was a) bit slower in the middle with a couple of little niggles, but I feel like I’ve been playing well the last month or so and feeling good at the right time of the season.”
Reports emerged last week the 34-year-old was seeking a long-term deal that would take him to the 2028 LA Olympics.
It’s understood club and player had preliminary discussions on an extension prior to NBL25.
Coach Dean Vickerman said both parties agreed to park talks until the end of the season.
Among the nominees for Defensive Player of the Year the league’s coaches and captains have been asked to vote on prior to Monday night’s Andrew Gaze MVP Awards, Dellavedova is averaging 11.3 points, 7.4 assists and 1.3 steals this year.
The seeding ramifications for Saturday night’s clash are potentially huge.
Depending on other results, the Phoenix can finish anywhere from third to fifth, while United is locked into either second or third.
Both teams will want Perth to lose to Adelaide on Friday night. That result would, win or lose, sew up second for Melbourne, while opening up a shot at third place and a home play-in for the Phoenix if they can beat United.
“There’s all the scenarios in our head right now but, either way, we’re playing a home game, whether it’s in two weeks or whether it’s in three days,” Vickerman said.
“We will be organised as a coaching staff — who are the potential opponents? Let’s study hard and let’s get all the background work done and be ready for whatever happens.
“We win (against Phoenix), we’re in and that’s our focus.”
Dellavedova is conscious of the challenge — the in-form Phoenix have won nine of their past 11 games — while confident his team can get the job done.
“With the way the finals draw is, it’s a huge advantage being able to finish in that top two,” Dellavedova said.
“That’s been the goal all year and it’s in our control to do it.
“We’re focused on what we need to do to execute to stop them, because they’re a high-powered team.
“It’s one of those games that it doesn’t matter where each team is on the standings, it’s going to be competitive, no matter what, but they have been in some really good form.”
MELBOURNE UNITED V SOUTH EAST MELBOURNE PHOENIX
Saturday, 8pm (AEDT), John Cain Arena
FOXY UP FOR UNITED’S FOUR-HEADED MONSTER
Emerging South East Melbourne guard Owen Foxwell has been the young defensive dynamo coach Josh King has turned to in a bid to keep a leash on the league’s best scorers like Bryce Cotton and Kendric Davis.
In a blockbuster final game of the NBL regular season where the Phoenix can, depending on results, finish as high as third or as low as fifth, the 21-year-old is gearing up for the challenge of going against Melbourne United’s four-headed guard monster in Chris Goulding, Ian Clark, Matthew Dellavedova and Shea Ili.
It’s a daunting task that will go a long way toward deciding the result of a hometown battle that has more than bragging rights at stake.
“Whoever they want me to guard and whatever they think is going to be best for the group, I’ll give it my best shot, but they have four elite guards who all play differently,” Foxwell said.
“Normally in United games, they end up pretty crossmatched throughout the game, so I think I’ll get a go at all of them.
“Clark and Goulding are flat out scorers and they shoot the ball incredibly well, so the best thing to do is try to get them off the (three-point) line, see what they can do inside, and with Shea and Delly, it’s keeping them out of the paint, off their strong hand.
“We’re playing great defence at the moment and our game plan is not going to change from what we’ve been doing.”
It’s Foxy’s first real crack at the postseason — in 2023 he played 11 minutes as a development player in his solitary play-in game, the infamous Cotton 20-point fourth quarter that ensured Perth eliminated the Phoenix.
“We want to finish the season with a win over United first and take that in (to the playoffs),” he said.
“I haven’t really ever experienced the postseason so I’m really looking forward to it.
“It’s just a good feeling to be playing good basketball at the end of the year and have something to look forward to.”
Originally published as Matthew Dellavedova not thinking contract talks ahead of Melbourne United v South East Melbourne Phoenix
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