Suns sign rookie guard Melton to guaranteed 2-year contract

The Phoenix Suns have signed guard De'Anthony Melton, the 46th overall pick in the draft June 21, to a guaranteed two-year, $2.3 million rookie pact, according to Shams Charania of Stadium.

The 6-foot-4, 200-pound Melton was drafted by the Houston Rockets, but was traded to Phoenix in the Ryan Anderson deal that sent point guard Brandon Knight and power forward Marquese Chriss to the Rockets on Aug. 31.

Melton, 20, averaged 8.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.9 steals in 27.0 minutes in 36 games in his one season at the University of Southern California in 2016-17, shooting 43.7 percent from the field, 28.4 percent from the 3-point line and 70.6 percent from the free-throw stripe. His 69 steals tied USC's school record.

He withdrew from USC before his sophomore year for the Trojans and entered the draft as an early entree before USC announced he would be required to sit out the entire season because of an investigation of a close family friend whom had been linked to a college-basketball bribery scandal.

After being drafted by Houston on June 21, Melton played in the Las Vegas Summer League for the Rockets and excelled, averaging 16.4 points, 7.2 boards, 4.0 dimes and 3.0 steals in five games, highlighted by a 26-point, 10-rebound, 5-assist effort against the Los Angeles Clippers, shooting 5-of-10 from long distance.

Melton's signing puts the Phoenix roster at 18 players and the Suns have reportedly shown interest in acquiring point guardsPatrick Beverley of the Los Angeles Clippers, Cory Joseph of the Indiana Pacers, Spencer Dinwiddie of the Brooklyn Nets and Tyus Jones of the Minnesota Timberwolves.