According to multiple reports, veteran Milwaukee Bucks Wesley Matthews will be declining his $2.7 million player option that 2020-21 season.
Wesley Matthews is officially the biggest free agent for the Milwaukee Bucks this offseason.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania was the first to report that the veteran Bucks wing Wesley Matthews will decline his $2.7 million player option for the 2020-21 season. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Matt Velazquez confirmed Charania’s report moments later.
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There had been plenty of speculation leading up to this that the 34-year-old would test free agency waters after signing a two-year, veteran minimum deal with the Bucks last offseason. And that speculation has come to fruition.
Whether Matthews’ decision came as a surprise to the Bucks is unknown, but they have obviously been preparing for Matthews to go back into the open market as they have been aggressive in searching for upgrades on the wing.
The list of reported suitors for Matthews has been percolating for some time and the Milwaukee Bucks face competition in trying to retain him.
The fact that Matthews’ reported decision comes on the heels of the Los Angeles Lakers reportedly emerging as a suitor for the Marquette product points to his market being a competitive one. Along with the Lakers, the Miami Heat are another rival that have been reportedly linked to Matthews ahead of the start of free agency.
For Milwaukee, it’s quickly becoming about how the Bucks can retain Matthews amid a competitive market.
Limited to their $3.6 million bi-annual exception and their $9.2 million midlevel exception to re-signing Matthews, the Bucks will have to think long and hard about how far they’ll go into their few resources in trying maintain their starting wing. Offering more money in being able to extend his stint in Milwaukee to a second season will obviously sway whether he continues his homecoming, all in the name of trying to win a title next season.
Matthews put together a modest 2019-20 campaign from an offensive standpoint as he averaged a career-low 7.4 points and shot 36.4 percent from three over his 67 appearances on the season. Defensively, though, Matthews slotted right in as the Bucks’ best perimeter defender and took on the bulk of high-profile defensive assignments all season long and into the Bucks’ brief playoff run.
While he didn’t stray away from his 3-and-D role, Matthews played up to what was asked of him last season.
Of course, what the Bucks are looking for now remains to be seen. but they have clearly been active on the trade market. With their eyes set on trying to add more playmaking and shooting around their foundation and specifically Giannis Antetokounmpo, we’ll have to see how successful they’ll be in their pursuit.
Although the Bucks covet more creativity in their roster construction, it certainly might come at the cost of Matthews. We’ll certainly be tuned into which teams will be chasing after Matthews and whether the Bucks will ultimately be among them.