Matthews 'pissed off' Blazers never offered him contract
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Coming off one of the toughest periods of his professional life, all Wesley Matthews expected from the Portland Trail Blazers was a phone call.
He didn't get one, and instead agreed to terms with the Dallas Mavericks on July 3.
"I was pissed off," Matthews told The Oregonian's Jason Quick. "I felt disrespected."
The 28-year-old shooting guard, who went into unrestricted free agency less than four months after rupturing his left Achilles tendon, had hoped the team that he had made his mark with – and become an important member of – would at least offer him a contract.
"I was angry," Matthews said. "But I also realize that this is a business."
Even coming off a major season-ending injury, market forces would dictate an annual salary upwards of $15 million for an effective 3-and-D player like Matthews. While some believe the Blazers simply balked at the price tag, that was only part of the reason they let him walk. Once it became clear that LaMarcus Aldridge was checking out, the franchise decided to let all their UFAs – Matthews, Robin Lopez, and Arron Afflalo – bail in the name of a rebuild.
Yet make no mistake, money was an issue as well. As Quick's article points out, Blazers owner Paul Allen, certainly not short on cash, has been scarred by the likes of Brandon Roy and Greg Oden – highly paid players who saw injuries derail their Portland careers.
Matthews ended up getting $70 million over four years from Mark Cuban's Mavs.
He also wanted a bigger offensive role next season on whichever team he ended up with, something he'll certainly get in Dallas with Chandler Parsons coming off injury, Dirk Nowitzki aging, and DeAndre Jordan's change of heart.
Matthews offered a somewhat cryptic comment to Quick on that topic.
"And now, I have a complete franchise backing me," Matthews said. "Imagine what kind of dog I will be now."