The business side of the NBA can leave people with a sort of empty feeling.
Fans and players alike approach the offseason with extreme caution, knowing full well that their long-term future could change with just one simple transaction.
This was the case for current Mavericks guard Wesley Matthews entering this Summer. He was hoping to cash-in, but his true wish was to stay in Portland where he had shaped his career thus far.
According to a story by Jason Quick of the Oregonian that ran on Wednesday, the Blazers never made an attempt to re-sign the 28-year-old shooting guard this offseason, despite his desire to return. To make matters worse, the team didn’t even have the courtesy to reach out to Matthews and inform him of their intentions.
When free agency arrived July 1, Wesley Matthews waited for an offer from the Trail Blazers.
He had hoped he could return to the city that had embraced him, to the team with players he considered brothers, to the franchise where he grew into one of the NBA’s most well-rounded and respected shooting guards.
But in the end, after five seasons, the feeling was not mutual. He was greeted with silence. No phone call. No text messages. The Blazers never made an offer.
“I was pissed off,” Matthews said. “I felt disrespected.”
Now, Matthews isn’t completely delusional; he understands that the franchise was in the midst of losing many of their key assets.
Bringing back a man who has had major surgery in the past, and was quickly approaching the 30 year old mark? That didn’t make quite enough sense for Rip City, so the two were forced to go their seperate ways.
“I was angry,” Matthews said, “but I also realize that this is a business.”
Unfortunately for Matthews, the business side will always come first and foremost, and you aren’t always able to decide on where to play.
At least he received that max contract money from Dallas, though; that should definitely help ease his transition.
H/T LarryBrownSports
