3:38pm: The Lakers have officially waived Ryan, the team confirmed (Twitter link).
7:05am: The Lakers are waiving sharpshooter Matt Ryan, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter). The move will open up a spot on Los Angeles’ standard 15-man roster and the team has no plans to immediately fill it.
Ryan, who has talked about working as a DoorDash driver after going undrafted out of Chattanooga in 2020, eventually landed with the Grand Rapids Gold in the G League in 2021/22, then made his NBA debut with the Celtics this past spring. He joined the Lakers on a non-guaranteed minimum-salary contract in September and earned a spot on the regular season roster.
Although Ryan has exhibited the ability to knock down three-pointers, having made 13-of-35 attempts (37.1%) for L.A. this season, he only converted 2-of-14 two-pointers. In total, he averaged 3.9 PPG in 12 appearances (10.8 MPG).
Both Charania and Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link) frame the decision to waive Ryan as one the Lakers made to give themselves extra roster flexibility when several of their players become trade-eligible on December 15 and they start to seriously consider potential deals.
However, as Bobby Marks of ESPN and Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report (Twitter links) note, Ryan’s full-season salary wouldn’t have become guaranteed for another six weeks, so the Lakers could’ve waived him anytime before January 7 if they needed his roster spot to accommodate a trade.
Marks points out (via Twitter) that the Lakers, given their tax position, will save $61K per day without Ryan on the roster. Pincus, meanwhile, suggests that the decision to release the 25-year-old now may be partly logistical, since the team is about to embark upon a six-game road trip and likely determined it didn’t make sense to bring Ryan on that trip if he was already on the chopping block.
Assuming Ryan is officially cut on Thursday, he’ll have earned $442,439 for the 45 days he spent on the Lakers’ roster and the two he’ll spend on waivers.
I guess 442K is better than a DoorDash job. He can shoot threes, should come to Europe
It’s alright, the NBA experience is better though.
He should put that 442k into BTC/Crypto, he’ll be a double digit millionaire by 2025.
I’d advise him against using FTX, though…
Hey it would take a lot of deliveries to make 442k. Good work young man.
Don’t like how the Lakers handle things with Ryan could have cut him like the Cavs did with Diakite back in October and bring him back on a two-way now you can’t.
the Colts should cut him too
Any bets on who the filler will be?
They will wait for a player to be bought out. LeBron then will beg the Lakers to sign some former star.
I would hope Favors or Whiteside
I need to become a sharpshooter so I can ride the pine and get $442k!
Also be 6’7”
You ever seen the time Brian Scalabrine (arguably the worst NBA player in history to play at least five seasons) completely obliterated a bunch of college players? NBA athletes are at a way higher level than anything you or I are capable of. They’re the top ten percent of the top one percent of all basketball players worldwide.
You talking smack on the Ginger Ninja?
I always laughed at my high school students who put little effort into their studies because yes, they were going to go pro someday. Then I reminded them that the 12th kid on the college team bench was averaging 30 in high school. Silence.
Yeah, agreed.
Crazy to think of the skill level to play in the NBA
Smart play by the Lakers to open up a roster spot. Stupid to waive Matt Ryan. Just more proof that their front office doesn’t know how to run a franchise. They need 3pt shooters like I need anxiety medications.
I think his lack of defense is the main reason why they waived him
LOL appreciate the humor
The bar is set pretty low for “sharpshooter” designation… sheesh
35 shots are not a big sample size, but there enough teams which need 3 point shooting that he’ll get other chances this year. Whether it be on a 10 day, two way or even signed by someone, we’ll see Matty Ice again.
A two for one trade coming.
I dont see how Nunn still gets minutes
I heard the Falcons are looking for a QB!
Definitely not a move to set-up a future move. The guy doesn’t play, Lakers are in the tax. End of story. Matt Ryan will find a home somewhere. He can play, just needs more development minutes in the G-League oven
Back to the NFL??
I hate this move. Don’t understand why they’d cut one of their few guys that can shoot the long ball. Head scratcher for sure.
GM Lebron making moves…
Wow! He’s playing so badly for the Colts that even the Lakers are waiving him!