NBA: 3 players maximizing the value of minimum contracts

1. Wesley Matthews, Milwaukee Bucks

The former Trail Blazers wing has arguably been playing his best basketball since tearing his Achilles tendon. After recovering, it quickly became apparent that he had lost a step. Fast forward a few seasons, and he was traded as a cap-filler and on the buyout market shortly after.

On July 1st, Matthews signed with the Milwaukee Bucks on a two-year contract for the veterans minimum. Since the signing, Matthews, 33, has become of the best ring-chasers in recent history.

What separates Matthews from the other players discussed is that he’s started every game for the current finals favorite. Not only that, he’s often used as Milwaukee’s point-of-attack defender and provides the team with lineup flexibility. However, a significant portion of Matthews’ contributions come from the offensive end.

Matthews’ low usage rate (12%) would typically suggest that he’s marginalized within the offense. However, his shooting prowess spreads the floor and helps Giannis maximize his abilities. By playing alongside a high-usage assist-machine like Giannis, Matthews ranks in the 96th percentile as a spot-up shooter, scoring 1.32 points per possession. Having such high efficiency from such a low-maintenance role makes Matthews the quintessential complementary player for the Bucks. As a result, Matthews has the league’s 6th best net rating (+14.1) as part of the best team in the NBA.

Even though Matthews signed a two-year deal, the contract includes a player option this summer. His performance as of late could entice other teams to offer a significant raise. If he were to opt-out of the second year, Milwaukee might have to waive Ersan Ilyasova, who is due to make $7 million as part of the mid-level exception. But seeing that Matthews inked a minimum deal on the first day of free agency, taking a payday elsewhere seems unlikely.