5 bargain bin free agent wings the Dallas Mavericks should target

Bargain bin free agent wing Dallas Mavericks should target: 3. Wesley Matthews

Could the Mavs convince Matthews to return to Dallas? He played for them from 2015 until he was dealt to the Knicks in the original Kristaps Porzingis trade in 2019. Matthews never lived up to expectations after signing a four-year $70 million deal to leave Portland in free agency, but he was a quality role player for the Mavericks.

The 35-year-old cannot handle the same workload, but he remains a strong and versatile defender. He finished 16th in FiveThirtyEight’s defensive RAPTOR in the 2021-2022 season when the minutes are adjusted down to 1,000. The Bucks were not just hiding him in the corner either. The five players he defended most per NBA Stats were DeMar DeRozan, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Fred VanVleet, and Jaylen Brown.

Matthew’s 3-point shooting has dipped the last two seasons, but he still made over 33 percent each year. The 6’4 wing has the reputation of being a quality shooter, which should bring some floor spacing. Teams are not going to leave Matthews wide open because he is a career 37.7 percent shooter.

Wesley Matthews is the perfect player to sign to a veteran minimum deal. He can play a 20-minute role off the bench during the regular season, and the 6’4 wing would give head coach Jason Kidd another trusted option to use more in the playoffs.