After remaining quiet for much of the offseason, the Hawks have made their first notable free agent signing, inking veteran Wesley Matthews to a one-year deal, according to Adrian Wojnarowski.
Free agent G Wesley Matthews has agreed on a one-year deal with the Atlanta Hawks, sources tell ESPN. Matthews, 36, joins the Hawks after two seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 21, 2023
The 14-year veteran spent the last two seasons with the Bucks and is coming off a campaign in which he averaged 3.4 points and 2.2 rebounds per game while shooting 36.3% from the field and 31.5% from the three-point range.
It was a down year by his standards`; he’s a career 38% shooter from three and is known for his defensive acumen. His career averages are 11.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.0 steals per contest while shooting 42.0% from the field.
He’s a journeyman who has spent time playing for the Utah Jazz, Portland Trail Blazers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers and Los Angeles Lakers over 14 NBA seasons.
Hawks fans shouldn’t expect him to be a significant contributor, though. As currently constructed, the roster projects as a nine-man rotation and maybe even ten, which is what Quin Snyder usually utilizes.
Wesley Matthews will be a low-usage, 3-and-D wing to play off the ball as Trae Young and Dejounte Murray dominate the ball. He’ll likely play on the veteran minimum, which should pay him around $3 million.
With Matthews and Patty Mills, it seems the Hawks are prioritizing a veteran presence on a relatively young roster. Though they won’t be incredibly impactful on the court, the pair of grizzled veterans will provide immense value in the locker room, which is an underrated aspect of team building.
The most successful clubs have excellent chemistry off the court because it generally translates to chemistry on the court. This is a step in that direction.
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Photographer: Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire
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