Wesley Matthews was a solid vet for the Indiana Pacers in his short time with the team.
The buyout market is an exhilarating period for NBA teams and obsessive basketball fanatics alike. Following the fanfare of the trade deadline, NBA teams will look to add the final pieces to their championship puzzle or bring in new faces. Wesley Matthews, a salary throw-in for the deal which sent Kristaps Porzingis to Dallas, was one of those players after the Knicks swiftly bought him out. Matthews chose the Indiana Pacers for a slew of reasons, from being “wanted” to ensuring himself a starting spot on a playoff team.
Replacing one of the NBA’s best players is no easy task, but Matthews took it upon himself and played well. Of course, he was no Victor Oladipo, as he is a completely different player. However, he was effective in his 3-D guard role, something the Pacers lacked before his acquisition. Over his 23 game tenure in Indianapolis, Matthews posted solid averages of 10.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists, shooting 36.9 percent from deep and finishing with a 54.3 true shooting percentage.
Though the Pacers couldn’t muster a win in the playoffs, Matthews was far from the main culprit there. He had his ups and downs in the postseason, but his three-point spacing and defense on Kyrie Irving were positives for Indiana. Let’s look at his season more generally.