Wesley Matthews Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Mavs Want First-Round Pick For Wes Matthews

January 25th, 2018 at 11:34am CST by Luke Adams

The Mavericks are open to listening to inquiries on Wesley Matthews in advance of the February 8 trade deadline, reports Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link). However, according to Stein, the Mavs only want to move Matthews if they can get a first-round pick in return, since the club views him as “one of its culture-setters.”

Matthews, who signed with Dallas a a free agent in 2015, was a very effective three-and-D wing earlier in his career with the Trail Blazers, but has struggled to regain his Portland form since tearing his Achilles in his final year as a Blazer. In three seasons for the Mavericks, the 31-year-old has averaged 13.0 PPG with a .396 FG% and a .368 3PT% — all those numbers are below his career rates.

While Matthews’ production as a Mav has been modest, his salary is at an all-time high — he’ll earn $17.88MM this season, with a player option worth $18.62MM for 2018/19. The former Marquette standout has been a little more effective this year than he was in his first two seasons with Dallas, but he’s still a virtual lock to exercise that option in the summer.

Given his mediocre numbers and his exorbitant salary, Matthews is extremely unlikely to net the Mavs a first-round pick at this year’s deadline. That means that Matthews and his culture-setting presence in the locker room figure to remain in Dallas through at least the end of this season unless the team lowers its asking price.

Matthews could become a more intriguing trade chip during the 2018/19 league year, when he’s expected to be on an $18MM+ expiring contract.

Southwest Notes: Mavericks, Leonard, Green, Grizzlies

January 24th, 2018 at 10:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Mavericks remain willing to take on salary in any deal as long as they get draft picks for their troubles, writes Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. Dallas has about $13MM in available cap room, and the quality of the picks they ask for will rise according to how much salary they absorb. The Mavs were rumored to be a potential third team to help complete a George Hill trade to Cleveland, with a Sacramento second-rounder coming to Dallas, but Sefko dismisses that as unlikely.

He identifies Harrison Barnes, Dennis Smith Jr. and Dirk Nowitzki as the only untouchables on the Mavericks’ roster, but adds that it would take an extraordinary offer to get J.J. Barea, Devin Harris or Wesley Matthews. Sefko notes that Dallas feels a sense of loyalty to its veteran players and speculates that another organization might have waived Harris before his contract became fully guaranteed earlier this month.

The Mavs, who rank fourth in our Reverse Standings, are counting on a high lottery pick to add another building block for the future. They would like to acquire a second pick and are hoping to find a center in the draft.

Sefko adds that Josh McRoberts, who has a $6MM expiring contract, is being made available in trades, but Dallas plans to let him play out the season if no deal is reached. The team is hoping to re-sign Seth Curry, Salah Mejri and Yogi Ferrell when they all hit free agency this summer.

There’s more tonight from the Southwest Division:

The tension between Kawhi Leonard and the Spurs over his injury is “legit,” a source tells Ken Berger of Bleacher Report. GM R.C. Buford has denied any rift with Leonard, but both sides are frustrated over his long recovery time from right quadriceps tendinopathy. The same source says the Spurs have a history of being reluctant to get second opinions from doctors outside the organization. Despite the hard feelings, a rival GM says San Antonio hasn’t given any consideration to trading Leonard.
The Rockets‘ return to full health has cost Gerald Green his spot in the rotation, notes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Green, who signed with the team in late December, averaged 15.6 points in 10 games while some key players were sidelined with injuries. “I can’t upset five guys to appease one,” coach Mike D’Antoni said. “I’d rather have one guy kind of out of it and four happy. I’ve got to keep a core that knows about their minutes. Now, whenever I can, I’ll play him. I won’t hesitate to play him. If somebody’s hurt or sick, he’ll play. Or if I can find time, I will.”
The Grizzlies are already making moves with next season in mind, writes Chris Herrington of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Memphis is giving more minutes to younger players and letting veterans rest longer after injuries. The team plans to explore the trade market for Tyreke Evans and other players on expiring contracts before the February 8 deadline.

Southwest Notes: Grizzlies, Leonard, Matthews

January 19th, 2018 at 11:04pm CST by Austin Kent

It’s inevitable, Keith Smith of RealGM writes, that the Grizzlies will need to trade Marc Gasol and Mike Conley. The two veterans were the last longtime core players standing after Zach Randolph and Tony Allen departed during the offseason and could help the franchise land desperately needed assets on their way out.

Although both players are approaching the wrong side of their primes, they could make an impact for contending teams. Gasol, Smith writes, could even land the Grizzlies a package of draft picks and young players if dealt.

Finding a suitor for Conley may be slightly more difficult as he’s owed nearly $114MM through 2020-21. For that reason, the scribe suggests that the Grizzlies should jump at any opportunity to get out of the deal if they get a chance, even if the yield is less than expected.

The moves may be difficult, Smith adds, but they’d put the Grizzlies on the quickest course to building a new contender.

There’s more out of the Southwest Division:

While it was announced that Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard would be out for an “indefinite period” of time to rehab his right quadriceps injury, the injury isn’t as disastrous as some have interpreted it as. “Career-threatening shouldn’t even be in the conversation,” one person close to Leonard told Jabari Young of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required).
Rockets CEO Tad Brown was surprised that the league didn’t come down on Blake Griffin for allegedly hitting head coach Mike D’Antoni, Sam Amick of USA Today writes. Gerald Green and Trevor Ariza were the only players suspended for their parts in the kerfuffle that unfolded in Los Angeles on Monday night.
Unsure of where the Mavs currently fall in the To Tank Or Not To Tank debate, Tim Cowlishaw of The Dallas Morning News writes that there’s no major incentive to unload Wesley Matthews. The economics of the league have changed since Matthews signed his four-year, $70MM contract back in 2015. These days, the approximately $18MM cap hit for the lockdown perimeter defender doesn’t seem as outlandish as it did in the past.

Pistons Notes: Van Gundy, Jackson, Leuer, Moreland

January 9th, 2018 at 1:49pm CST by Arthur Hill

Pistons coach/executive Stan Van Gundy addressed trade rumors surrounding his team during a session with reporters today. Detroit is among several teams linked to Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic as the Pistons try to remain in the playoff race with a roster weakened by injuries.

“We have a roster spot available and there’s people calling,” Van Gundy said in comments tweeted by Rod Beard of The Detroit News. “We’re just seeing if there’s anything that makes sense for us. When you’re down a starting point guard, there’s not a lot of people shopping their starting point guard to you.” (Twitter link).

Reggie Jackson is out until at least the All-Star break with a sprained right ankle. Forward Jon Leuer hasn’t played since October 31 because of a sprained left ankle and may be headed for surgery. After a fast start, the Pistons have fallen into a sixth-place tie in the East at 21-18 and are barely holding on to a playoff spot.

“We’ve got [Leuer] down and [Jackson] down,” Van Gundy added. “There’s a lot of need and we’re looking around. We don’t have anything going on right now, but we’re looking around for people to fill holes.”

There’s more today out of Detroit:

The Pistons have plenty of options to target before the February 8 deadline, writes Bryan Kalbrosky of HoopsHype. He lists Orlando’s Evan Fournier, Brooklyn’s Joe Harris, Miami’s Wayne Ellington, Dallas’ Wesley Matthews and Atlanta’s Kent Bazemore as players to watch.
Pistons center Eric Moreland has a bit of security for the first time in his career, notes Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press. Moreland had his $1,739,333 contract guaranteed this week, providing him with some stability after four years of trying to earn a steady NBA job. Moreland went undrafted out of Oregon State in 2014 and signed with the Kings, but played just 11 games at the NBA level in two seasons. He signed a partially guaranteed three-year deal with the Pistons over the offseason, but says he hasn’t been focused on this week’s guarantee deadline. “I play the same way, money or no money,” he said. “I don’t even play basketball for money. I just want to go out there and keep learning. This is my first year playing. I can’t get involved in that. That’s just not my mentality. I’m not trying to survive like that.”

Southwest Notes: Paul, Matthews, Selden, Pelicans

January 2nd, 2018 at 10:57pm CST by marksuleymanov

Chris Paul has battled some injuries in his first season with the Rockets, but the team has played exceptionally well when he has been on the court. Houston is 16-2 in games that Paul has started, and has enjoyed one of the NBA’s best backcourts when the veteran plays alongside James Harden.

The Rockets are now eligible to offer Paul, 32, an extension but the All-Star point guard has not given much thought to that possibility, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle writes. Paul is set to hit free agency at season’s end, at which point he will face no shortage of suitors. It will be Paul’s decision to either stay in Houston or pursue other options but the team is prepared to make him a part of their future plans.

“Obviously, when we get someone as great as Chris Paul or James Harden, the plan is to keep him here,” Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said to Feigen. “He’ll have a choice when the season ends. We feel like we set things up well. It should be an easy choice for him.”

The Rockets are just two games back of the Warriors for the best record in the Western Conference and a healthy Paul — along with Harden — would go a long way to making that a strongly contested race.

Check out other Southwest Division notes below:

Wesley Matthews, who holds a player option for the 2018/19 season, has altered his game for the Mavericks this season, Eddie Sefko of Dallas Morning News writes. Matthews has always been a “3 and D” player, meaning he shoots well from beyond the arc while providing solid defense. However, this season, Matthews has attempted fewer threes in favor of shots closer to the basket.
Wayne Selden has played sparingly this season due to injury but his recent return for the Grizzlies has the team excited, Ronald Tillery of the Commercial Appeal writes. “(Selden) brings an athleticism and speed to the game,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “You keep watching how the game is evolving, and that’s where it’s evolving. He also brings a bit of playmaking for you.
The Pelicans are a win-now team that is struggling to win games, including back-to-back losses to the Mavericks and Knicks in recent days. Scott Kushner of The New Orleans Advocate opines that Pelicans fans deserve better from the organization.

Deveney’s Latest: Thunder, Bucks, Kings, Evans

December 20th, 2017 at 3:47pm CST by Luke Adams

In his latest piece for The Sporting News, Sean Deveney takes a closer look at several teams that are good bets to be either buyers or sellers as February’s trade deadline approaches. We’ve rounded up several of the highlights of Deveney’s piece below, but the article also includes several notes on the Nuggets, Cavaliers, Timberwolves, and a few other teams, so be sure to check it out in full. Let’s dive in…

According to Deveney, the Thunder figure to be targeting a shooter who can help create space and possibly an extra defender to bolster their depth.
Having already rolled the dice on Eric Bledsoe, the Bucks are looking to take another step toward legit contention and may be willing to gamble again before the deadline, says Deveney.
The Kings are in the market for a deal that could improve their long-term outlook. George Hill has already been shopped, per Deveney.
Tyreke Evans, who is enjoying an excellent season for the Grizzlies, has generated “significant interest,” according to Deveney.
Even though they’re not a contender, the Mavericks remain reluctant to sell off veterans like Wesley Matthews, J.J. Barea, and Devin Harris, writes Deveney. Nerlens Noel will be on the trade block though.
The Clippers would be willing to move DeAndre Jordan in the right deal, but so far the names connected to him have been underwhelming, says Deveney.
Don’t be surprised if the Hawks put out feelers to test the market value of point guard Dennis Schroder, per Deveney.

2018 Free Agent Stock Watch: Dallas Mavericks

December 14th, 2017 at 1:41pm CST by Austin Kent

The Mavericks are in a curious position as an NBA franchise, suspended in a unique limbo between rebuilding and (sorta) contending. Thank Dirk Nowitzki for most of it, as team owner Mark Cuban seems to have insisted that the Mavs field a semi-competent roster in the future Hall of Famer’s final years.

While the club has seemingly acknowledged the writing on the wall and started to amass long-term building blocks – most recently, ninth overall pick Dennis Smith Jr. – it’s unlikely that the Mavs will fully give into an outright rebuild so long as Nowitzki is on board for 2018/19 (which, for reasons discussed below, we’re going to assume to be the case).

Seth Curry, PG, 27 (Down) – Signed to a two-year, $6MM deal in 2016
Curry has yet to see the court this season on account of a leg injury that may now require surgery. Even at full health, however, it’s not likely that Curry would have siphoned minutes away from either lottery pick Dennis Smith Jr. or several other niche players in Dallas’ backcourt rotation, a reality that casts doubt on his future with the franchise.

Devin Harris, SG, 35 (Down) – Signed to a four-year, $17MM deal in 2014
While Harris has produced admirably off the bench for the Mavs, it doesn’t make sense for a team attempting to usher in a new era to retain a 35-year-old reserve in an already crowded backcourt. Harris could be a sneaky value add for a contender late in the free agency process next summer.

Yogi Ferrell, PG, 25 (Up) – Signed to a two-year, $2MM deal in 2017
Ferrell carved out a role for himself as a rotation piece on the Mavs last season but he probably won’t garner much interest as a restricted free agent next summer given that his ceiling seems somewhat capped. Still, he could provide solid long-term value in Dallas if the team does decide to part ways with Curry and/or Harris.

Wesley Matthews, SF, 31 (Down) – Signed to a four-year, $70MM deal in 2015
The Mavs poached Matthews from an elite Trail Blazers squad hopeful that the swingman’s two-way game would help keep their aging core relevant in the West. Through three seasons, Matthews has posted a relatively uninspiring 12.9 points per game but will almost certainly return to Dallas considering how unlikely it would be for him to exceed his $19MM 2018/19 player option on the open market.

Josh McRoberts, PF, 31 (Down) – Signed to a four-year, $23MM deal in 2014
The Mavs absorbed the final year of McRoberts’ contract over the summer, yielding a future second-round pick from the Heat in the process. Considering that the 30-year-old has been sidelined with a knee injury since joining the organization, he’ll be hard-pressed to earn a significant contract after this season. McRoberts may be able to fill a rotation spot somewhere – maybe even in Dallas – but he’ll presumably have to do so on a minimum salary.

Salah Mejri, C, 32 (Down) – Signed to a three-year, $3MM deal in 2015
While Mejri has played a modest role for the Mavs in each of the past three seasons, he won’t command much on the open market as a 32-year-old free agent with career averages south of five points per game.

Nerlens Noel, C, 24 (Up) – Signed to a one-year, $4MM deal in 2017
It’s been less than a year since the Mavs plucked a disgruntled Noel away from the Sixers, but any notion that the team was eager to include the 23-year-old in their long-term plans has quickly faded. It’s hard to picture Noel commanding the big money he supposedly aspired to land last summer but even harder to picture him back in Dallas next season after how head coach Rick Carlisle has handled his minutes so far this season. Realistically the 2016 lottery pick’s value falls much higher than his $4MM qualifying offer and, once the free agency dominoes start falling next summer, he should find a team happy to throw him a more significant long-term offer.

Dirk Nowitzki, PF, 40 (Down) – Signed to a two-year, $10MM deal in 2017.
Nowitzki has said that his decision (yes, his decision, even though it’s formally and contractually the team’s) will be based on how he feels over the course of this season. For what it’s worth, Cuban hopes to see him return and thinks there’s good chance that he does so in order to break the record for most seasons with one franchise.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Southwest Notes: Parsons, Matthews, Nelson, Rockets, Spurs

October 24th, 2017 at 9:13pm CST by marksuleymanov

Chandler Parsons‘ stint with the Grizzlies has not gone according to plan. The former Rockets and Mavericks standout has been hampered by knee injuries, including three knee surgeries the last three years. Now, after playing just 15 minutes in Memphis’ first few regular season games this year, Parsons is frustrated with his limited playing time, Ronald Tillery of the Commercial Appeal writes.

“It sucks right now playing 15 minutes a night to be honest with you,” Parsons said. “But they have a plan in place that, hopefully, I’ll be playing big minutes when it matters.”

Parsons appeared in just 34 games last season, averaging 6.2 PPG and 2.5 RPG in a career-low 19.9 minutes per game. After signing a four-year, $94MM deal with the Grizzlies in July 2016, Parsons has not come close to his past performance. If he continues to show he’s over his prior knee injuries, the Grizzlies will look salvage the remainder of their pact with the 28-year-old.

Check out more news coming out of the Southwest Division:

Wesley Matthews‘ early season struggles may seem to be the perfect chance to bench him but if the Mavericks ever intend on trading him, they must do it while his value is high, Eddie Sefko of Dallas Sports Day writes.
Veteran Jameer Nelson endured a 10-hour journey from Philadelphia to Los Angeles to join his Pelicans teammates for a Sunday evening contest against the Lakers. As William Guillory of NOLA.com writes, Nelson, 35, posted five points and five assists in 24 minutes — including a clutch three-pointer — to help New Orleans avoid a loss in a game they once led by 22 points.
New Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta said that James Harden is “truly the best player in the NBA” as Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle writes.
Olivier Hanlan, a former second-round pick by the Jazz from 2015, has joined the Spurs’ G League affiliate, the Austin Spurs, according to Chris Reichert of 2Ways10Days (Twitter link). San Antonio currently holds Hanlan’s NBA rights, having acquired him in last year’s Boris Diaw swap.

Mavericks Notes: Noel, Matthews, Smith, Cuban

August 23rd, 2017 at 7:06pm CST by Arthur Hill

Restricted free agent Nerlens Noel turned down an offer from the Mavericks in the range of $17.5MM per year, tweets Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders. With no further details on that offer, it’s hard to know exactly how appealing it was — it could have been a short-term deal, or not fully guaranteed. Still, it seems like a very fair annual rate for Noel.

The 23-year old big man remains one of the top players left on the market as training camps near. Noel still hopes to land a max contract, even though few teams have the financial resources available to make such an offer.

He recently changed agents, hiring Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, who lists LeBron James and John Wall among his highest-profile clients. Noel has been frustrated at not receiving offers from any other organizations. He still has the option to accept a $4,187,598 qualifying offer from the Mavericks and take his chances as an unrestricted free agent next season. Noel averaged 8.5 points and 6.8 rebounds in 22 games with Dallas after a deadline trade brought him from the 76ers.

There’s more today out of Dallas:

Halfway through the four-year, $70MM deal he signed with the Mavericks in 2015, Wesley Matthews is adopting some new training techniques to improve his game, writes Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com. Matthews has been doing yoga this summer and trying to improve his conditioning in hopes of raising his shooting percentage in 2017/18. “I want to be the most complete basketball player that I can be, and with the shooting slump that I had there were still ways that I had to be effective on the court,” he said. “You know, energy, leadership and defense, that’s always going to be a part of it. But being able to get other guys shots and get other guys open, I take pride in that as well.” Matthews has shot 39% overall and 36% from 3-point range during his two seasons in Dallas, well below the numbers he put up in Portland. He could be a year away from free agency, as he has a player option on his $18,622,514 salary for 2018/19.
Owner Mark Cuban worries that it might be a “curse” or “jinx” that Dennis Smith Jr. is considered an early favorite for Rookie of the Year, but he raved about the No. 9 draft pick in a recent appearance on the Rich Eisen Show. In a segment transcribed by The Dallas Morning News, Cuban says Smith’s ability goes beyond his obvious athleticism. “I mean his ball handling, his intellect for the game, he’s already on Synergy Sports watching great point guards [and] learning from them,” Cuban said. “He’s committed to getting better every day. He’s just got that mindset of a winner.”
In the same interview, Cuban says the NBA’s new scheduling policy goes “90% of the way” toward solving the problem of teams resting healthy players, and adds that he would never tell coach Rick Carlisle to keep a player out of action.

Western Notes: Aldridge, Australia, Abrines, Mavs

July 31st, 2017 at 9:51pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Spurs would be better off holding onto power forward LaMarcus Aldridge for another season, Mike Finger of the San Antonio Express-News opines. Aldridge can opt out of his contract next summer and leave $22.34MM on the table, which would help San Antonio pursue premier free agents, Finger notes. That would probably be preferable to adding players in a trade that would cut into potential cap space, Finger continues. With Aldridge, Kawhi Leonard and free agent acquisition Rudy Gay next season, the Spurs can still make a run at a championship, Finger adds.

In other notable items involving theWestern Conference:

A trio of Western Conference teams will play Australian National Basketball League teams during the preseason, the NBA announced via press release on Monday. It’s the first time that NBL teams will travel to the U.S. to play against NBA teams. The Sydney Kings will visit the Jazz, Melbourne United will face the Thunder and the Brisbane Bullets will match up against the Suns.
Alex Abrines‘ health will be closely watched as he joins the Spanish national team for the EuroBasket tournament, which begins Aug. 31st, according to Erik Horne of The Oklahoman. The Thunder swingman received platelet rich plasma injections in his right knee in May. It’s not the first time Abrines has received the injections, as he told Horne he required them “four or five years” ago. The 6’6” Abrines appeared in 68 games last season, averaging 6.0 PPG and 38.1% on 3-point attempts in 15.5 MPG.
Wesley Matthews is unlikely to be dealt because of salary-cap implications, Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News opines. The Mavericks would most likely have to take salary back to trade the shooting guard and they’d like to avoid that in order to pursue notable free agents next summer, Sefko explains. Matthews holds a $18.6MM player option on the 2018/19 season.