The buyout market is an exhilarating period for NBA teams and obsessive basketball fanatics alike. Following the fanfare of the trade deadline, NBA teams will look to add the final pieces to their championship puzzle or bring in new faces. Wesley Matthews, a salary throw-in for the deal which sent Kristaps Porzingis to Dallas, was one of those players after the Knicks swiftly bought him out. Matthews chose the Indiana Pacers for a slew of reasons, from being “wanted” to ensuring himself a starting spot on a playoff team.
Replacing one of the NBA’s best players is no easy task, but Matthews took it upon himself and played well.