On December 13, Beijing time, the Bucks defeated the Knicks 112-97, and some fans saw a veteran player on the Bucks bench - Wesley Matthews, who did not play in this game. On December 4 this year, the Bucks officially announced the signing of Matthews, who switched to the Bucks' No. 23 jersey this season because Portis is currently wearing the No. 9 jersey.
After returning to the Bucks, Matthews played a total of 4 games, scoring 3, 3, 2 and 2 points. Averaging 14 minutes per game, he scored 2.5 points and shot just 25 percent from three-point range. In the 2019-20 season, Matthews played in 67 regular-season games for the Bucks, averaging 7.4 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game, shooting 40% from the field and 36% from three-point range.
Speaking about how it feels to be back with the Bucks, Matthews is thrilled: "This is home, I'm excited! I played the playoffs with the Lakers last season, and when we were eliminated by the Suns, I supported the Bucks to win the championship! I'm familiar with Milwaukee, and I'm willing to do anything for the Bucks, whether it's 5 minutes or 35 minutes. ”
In the 2019-20 season, Matthews played for the Bucks, and the Lakers won the championship; last season Matthews played for the Lakers, but the Bucks won the championship, and this luck is also no one. Matthews was drafted in 2009 and has not won an NBA championship so far. For Matthews, 35, this season could be his last chance to compete for the title.
Matthews first entered the league and has been a steady outside pitcher. His three-point shooting rate in the first six seasons of his career exceeded 38%, which was also a sharpshooter level in that era. In the 2009–10 season, Matthews played 82 regular-season games for the Jazz, averaging 9.4 points per game and shooting 38.2 percent from three-point range.
Of those 82 games, he started 48, and the Jazz picked up the treasure! Matthews' value rose with his performance, and in the summer of 2010, the Blazers offered Matthews for $33 million for five years, and the Jazz gave up matching. This is definitely a significant contract for the losing draft, and his NBA career is guaranteed!
Matthews' performances for the next five seasons are definitely worthy of this contract, and he has averaged 15.9 points, 13.7 points, 14.8 points, 16.4 points and 15.9 points per game. As I said before, his three-point shooting rate in the past five years has been above 38.3%, such a performance in today's NBA, how can the annual salary be 20 million, right?
In March 2015, Matthews tore his left Achilles tendon and was reimbursed for the season! At the age of 28, he was in the year of the fight, and he did not expect to suffer a major Achilles tendon injury. In July 2015, the Dallas Mavericks gave Matthews a big four-year, $70 million contract. In the following 2015-16 season, his average of points per game dropped to 12.5 points per game, and he shot 36 percent from three-point range.
Over the next seven seasons, he averaged just 13.5 points per game, and only two seasons shot more than 38 percent from three-point range. The tearing of the Achilles tendon affected his movement and bounce, and the efficiency of the internal end was reduced, and he could only rely on the outside feel. In February 2019, the Lone Ranger sent him to the Knicks, and Matthews joined the Pacers with a base salary after being bought out by the Knicks.
Matthews' next three contracts are veteran base salaries. If it weren't for a major Achilles tendon injury, in the summer of 2019, he would have hoped to get a long contract at the age of 33. Having been drafted in the NBA for more than a dozen seasons and has a career salary of more than $110 million, Matthews is inspirational enough, you say?