2. Wesley Matthews
Wesley Matthews can take Tim Hardaway Jr.’s left behind minutes, but like Jordan, there’s no future with the New York Knicks for this trade’s other veteran.
At $18.62 million, Matthews’ salary is high and likely complicates any trade, although Marc Berman of the New York Post speculated the Philadelphia 76ers as a potential suitor. They can offer Wilson Chandler‘s expiring eight-figure contract for the veteran shooting guard.
If not, like Jordan and Kanter, Matthews is the Knicks’ third buyout candidate.
Would New York actually discard three players before the season’s final two months? If they remain all-in on “developmental,” then why not? More minutes go to Kornet and Robinson. Even Kadeem Allen, who’s on a two-way contract, can take extra minutes.
Matthews can stay to take leftover minutes and provide the Knicks with a short-term scoring option. They don’t have much else at shooting guard, especially with Hardaway and Lee’s departures. Damyean Dotson is the candidate to assume other remaining minutes, but he’s flip-flopped from the starting lineup and the bench.
There’s probably no future for Matthews in the Big Apple beyond Tuesday’s game. If not that, the end of the season. He can bridge the gap through April, but is better for a team that’s contending for a playoff spot.