When the Atlanta Hawks signed Matthews in the offseason, they hoped that he would be an important rotation for the team, but so far this season, Matthews has only averaged 26-point performance, and his best three-point shot fell to 214%。After not being able to play a consistent performance, Matthews' playing time has also plummeted, and if he can't put up a consistent performance, then Matthews is likely to face retirement.
As an undrafted pick, Matthews was able to gain a foothold in the NBA entirely by his own efforts. Although Matthews has not become a top star, for most teams, Matthews has been an important part of the team's tactical system, which is one of the reasons why Matthews was once sought after in the free agent market. Whether playing for the Trail Blazers or the Mavericks, Matthews' tactical role was very high.
Although Matthews is a backcourt player, his body is strong enough, especially in the small-ball era, Matthews's strong body is a big advantage. During his time with the Trail Blazers and Mavericks, Matthews once took on the responsibility of defending James alone, and had a good performance, and Matthews also became famous with this performance, becoming one of the most sought-after 3D players in the league at the time.
In 2021, Matthews ushered in an important turning point in his career. Due to his lack of outside projection, the Bucks brought Matthews into the lineup, and Matthews quickly became an important member of the Bucks' tactics, and even sat in the starting line for a while. It is with Matthews' three-pointer on the outside that the Bucks' offensive space is infinitely expanded, and the breakthrough of Brother Alphabet is also more powerful. Matthews, who made a significant contribution, helped the Bucks all the way to the Finals, and he eventually won the championship.
Matthews may not be a player with a lot of offensive skills, but he has been very smart on the offensive end, and the three-point shot is his most effective score**. Even without a lot of possession, Matthews was able to make frequent runs to get open shots. On the defensive end, Matthews' weight advantage played a role, allowing him to suffer without loss on the defensive end, which is an important ** for misplaced defense.
The Hawks chose to sign Matthews in the hope that he could enrich the team's rotation system, but for the Hawks, the team now has too many backcourt players. Not only Trae Young and Murray occupy the starting positions, but there are also Mitchell, Bey, Bogdanovic and others in the rotation. Although Matthews has a lot of experience in the game, he does not have too much advantage in terms of technical characteristics, so he does not have much competitiveness.
Matthews is now 36 years old, and although he still has some ability, there are not many opportunities available to him. If he continues to be a fringe player with the Hawks, the Hawks may propose him to the regular rotation. If no team is willing to accept him, then Matthews is likely to face retirement.