Last week the Portland Trail Blazers agreed to terms with Wesley Matthews (number 39 on the Big Board) on a 5 year, $35 million contract. Matthews was a restricted free agent, meaning his former team (the Utah Jazz) had the right to match any offer he might get. With Utah signing Raja Bell, however, Matthews is cleared to join the Blazers. This is a huge deal for Matthews and probably an overpayment for Portland. Matthews was undrafted out of Marquette last year, caught on with the Jazz in training camp, and did so well that Utah felt justified in trading their starting shooting guard Ronnie Brewer for a future draft pick, clearing the way for Matthews. He is an outstanding perimeter defender who finishes aggressively at the rim and can even shoot a little. He was great in the playoffs, putting up 13 points, 4 rebounds, and almost 2 steals. He's got a great story and I'm happy for him. On the flip side, I think Portland overpaid for his services. Matthews is a backup to Brandon Roy and while his defense will keep him on the court, the offensive aptitudes of some of the rest of his new teammates will make it difficult to keep everyone happy. If Matthews continues to improve and turns into a consistent 15, 4, 3, 2 kind of guy, this is a solid signing. But if he's maxed out his potential (I think he has) then this is a lot of money for a backup.
Grade: B
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