Wes Matthews Is Exactly What Dallas Mavericks Needed, but Is It Enough?

The Dallas Mavericks desperately needed to add two-way versatility on the wing this summer. They brought in Wesley Matthews to meet the demand, with Monta Ellis' offensive prowess being the designated sacrifice.

Matthews' status going into free agency was unclear. He established himself as one of the best two-way shooting guards in the entire league last season but ruptured his Achilles in a March game against Dallas. After he suffered one of the most devastating injuries for an athlete, there were major question marks as to what his market value would be.

It's completely fine to be slightly on the fence about this move. Initially, Matthews was supposed to receive a four-year, $57 million deal from the Mavs, but his contract was bumped up to a max deal worth $70 million once DeAndre Jordan reversed his decision to join Dallas, per NBA.com's David Aldridge.

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That's pricey for a player who is coming off such a serious injury. It's impossible to know how good Matthews will still be when he comes back. He has excellent work ethic and aims to be ready for the start of the season, but the Mavs are naturally going to be cautious with their investment.

"He’s definitely on track for a full recovery, but we’re going to err on the side of being conservative and cautious," head coach Rick Carlisle said, per Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News. "The most important thing is that he make a full recovery because we signed him to a four-year deal. The first year is more about making sure he’s right and getting him out there on the right terms."

Once Matthews returns, he'll be an integral part of the team.

A Seamless Fit

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Matthews' injury is certainly worrying, but he hasn't exactly relied on his athletic ability to succeed. He is an average athlete by NBA standards who mostly depends on craftiness and strength to get past his defender and finish at the rim. That being said, Matthews' outside game is what makes him such an intriguing addition to Dallas' roster.

The Portland Trail Blazers were 4.7 points per 100 possessions better with Matthews on the court last season, per NBA.com. His biggest impact, at least in the statistical department, was on the defensive end. Portland's defensive efficiency dropped from 99.4 to 103.4 points per 100 possessions with Matthews on the bench. That was the difference between the third-best and the 17th-ranked defense in 2014-15, per ESPN's Hollinger stats.

You can't build an offense around Matthews, but he is highly impactful with other talented players around him. He won't be running many pick-and-rolls as the primary ball-handler, but he'll do just about everything else imaginable for a 2-guard.

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Matthews is a terrific shooter, and only Stephen Curry attempted more three-pointers per game last season. He is great at finding open space on the court, drifting into corners when his defender is occupied elsewhere. Matthews ranked 18th in the league in points per possession on spot-up plays (minimum 150 attempts), per NBA.com's Synergy stats.

He is also terrific coming off screens. Portland's motion offense had Matthews cutting all over the floor to create chaos as a decoy, and he was terrific while doing so. He scored 1.19 points per possession on such plays, sharing the top spot in the category with the Golden State Warriors' Curry (minimum 100 attempts), per NBA.com's Synergy stats.

To spice things up, Matthews has a lethal post-up game. He is strong and can overpower a lot of smaller guards in the post. He ranked fourth in the league in points per possession on post-ups last season (minimum 100 attempts), per NBA.com. Bobby Karalla of Mavs.com explains the extra dimension this brings to Dallas' offense:

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This is an especially handy skill to have playing the shooting guard position in Dallas, which features a power forward who can play exclusively from the outside if you want him to. The Mavs can run an inverted offense, taking advantage of two mismatches at the same time: one on the block and one on the outside. A power forward won’t be used to guarding Dirk 20 feet from the bucket just like a shooting guard won’t be used to checking Matthews from five feet away.

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That's exactly the type of skill set that fits seamlessly into Dallas' offense. Matthews' shooting will take pressure off Dirk Nowitzki while creating space for Deron Williams and Chandler Parsons to operate in the pick-and-roll. 

Matthews isn't necessarily a great playmaker, but he can keep the ball moving well. That's exactly what is needed from him with Parsons and Williams running the show.

With Al-Farouq Aminu gone, Matthews instantly becomes the Mavericks' best perimeter defender. So long as the injury doesn't sap too much out of him physically, Matthews will almost certainly turn out to be a great addition.

Is It Enough?

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Matthews is a great player, but his presence won't necessarily make the Mavericks a contender. Chances are that even if Jordan had joined Dallas, the team still would have had too many holes to leapfrog the top dogs in the Western Conference.

As presently constructed, Dallas is likely going to be on the edge of making the playoffs. That's not a favorable situation for the franchise. A backcourt featuring Williams and Matthews makes the team competitive, but that can nevertheless lead to mediocrity in the West.

Dallas won't rely on Matthews to make plays, which will be an adjustment for the Mavs after having a ball-dominant 2-guard in his place over the last two seasons.

Parsons has performed admirably as a ball-handler, but it remains to be seen whether he can maintain his efficiency through a higher volume of touches. Williams' career has also been trending in the wrong direction. Filling the shoes of Ellis, one of the best slashers in the NBA, is a tall task, and it might take the Mavs a little time to adjust.

Dallas should maintain a similar identity to last year's squad. Ellis' slashing ability and Tyson Chandler's relentless rim rolls have been replaced by Zaza Pachulia's pick-and-pop game and more shooting on the perimeter. However, Nowitzki and Parsons are present, and the potential to build a powerhouse offense is certainly there.

As long as everyone is healthy, Dallas should be in contention for the top-ranked offense next year while being essentially a lock for the top five. There are still major question marks defensively, especially with the subtraction of a great rim protector next to a slow Nowitzki.

Matthews doesn't single-handedly transform Dallas into a contender, but he is one of the best players in the association to plug into the 2-guard spot. Even if the Mavs go through a tough 2015-16 campaign, having him as a part of the future is comforting.

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