Atlanta Hawks make key decision regarding Garrison Matthews

The Atlanta Hawks had a decision to make today regarding forward Garrison Matthews. It was the deadline to decide whether to acquire Matthews’ $2.2 million option and they decided to do it today. Matthews wasn’t expected to play a big role last season, but he stepped up and was a pleasant surprise for the Hawks. He finished 4th among all NBA players in three-point percentage, shooting 44% on an average of 3 attempts per game. Matthews played in 66 games last season, averaging 4.9 PPG.

Will Matthews have a big role next season? Atlanta added a few pieces with the Dejounte Murray trade and the selection of Zaccharie Risacher with the first overall pick. Even though Atlanta didn’t make any more moves this offseason (unlikely), they now have Risacher, Jalen Johnson, De’Andre Hunter, Mouhamed Gueye and Larry Nance in the front line. I think Nance will probably be more of a center. Matthews brings a high-level shot and is a better defender than he gets credit for. Being able to inject him into lineups that could use shots would be a huge asset for Quin Snyder next season. Paying Matthews only $2.2 million next year would also be quite beneficial to the Hawks team if he could provide the same level of three-point shooting that he did.

While I don’t think Matthews will have a significant role with the Hawks next season, getting him at this price is reasonable and there’s always a chance De’Andre Hunter could be traded, which would open up more room in the frontcourt. The other thing to consider is that the Hawks had a lot of bad luck with injuries last year and that’s why Matthews had to play more late in the season. Injuries are unpredictable and having depth in the lineup is always a plus. Matthews fits the bill.

Matthews’ return is also a smart move, as the Hawks declined the qualifying offer for forward Saddiq Bey. Although Bey could still be back with the team on a smaller contract, having Matthews on the roster gives the Hawks insurance in case he signs with another team.