Mavericks’ Wesley Matthews Primed for a Deadline Trade

The trade deadline is only weeks away and the rumors are only going to heat up as February approaches. Sports Illustrated’s Michael Shapiro recently produced a list of likely candidates to be moved early next month. Of those included on his list, former Trail Blazers shooting guard Wesley Matthews was included.

According to Shapiro, Matthews’ expiring contract will make him moveable for the right price.

The former Blazer was previously a tough sell to opposing teams early in his four-year, $70 million deal. Matthews largely disappointed in Dallas, making his $17 million a negative trade asset. Now an expiring contract, Matthews plus draft capital—or perhaps second-year point guard Dennis Smith if Dallas decides to move him—could land the Mavericks a quality piece in their push for the playoffs. The Mavs could use another perimeter presence or added beef in the interior. Orlando could see Smith as its point guard of the future. Perhaps Matthews is the conduit for a deal, landing Aaron Gordon or Nikola Vucevic for Smith and Matthews’s expiring deal.

Matthew, a veteran of 10 seasons in the NBA, played in Portland for five years prior to signing with Dallas. At age 32, he is currently averaging an even 30 minutes per game for the Mavericks this season. While his overall scoring production has dipped since his time with the Blazers, Matthews is still shooting a reliable 38.5 percent on his three-point attempts.