Veteran shooting guard Wesley Matthews has a new starting role after being picked up by the Indiana Pacers on Sunday.
Matthews began this season as a member of the Dallas Mavericks, where he played and started 44 games. He averaged over 12 points per game, albeit on only 41% shooting from the field.
The 32-year-old was then shipped off to the New York Knicks as part of the trade for Kristaps Porzingis. After appearing in only two games for the Knicks, the team decided to waive him, citing his high salary.
Matthews didn’t go long without a job though, as the Pacers decided to strike a deal with the guard shortly after he was waived by New York.
The Pacers have guaranteed Matthews the starting shooting guard position, where he will be expected to fill the absence left after Victor Oladipo’s season-ending knee injury.
Matthews joins Indiana in the middle of the Eastern Conference playoff chase. The Pacers currently own a 37-19 record, good for 3rd place in the NBA’s Eastern Conference.
Indiana hopes that Matthews will be able to improve on Tyreke Evans’s disappointing play after Oladipo was lost with his injury.
It’s expected that Matthews will make his Pacers debut this week.
