INDIANAPOLIS — After his first 10 days with the Pacers, Garrison Matthews had every reason to think his time with Indiana was over.
The Pacers signed Matthews to a 10-day hardship exception contract because they needed a shooter, but Matthews barely made any shots. In five games during his first 10 days on the job, he hit just 2 of 13 shots, all three-pointers, for a total of nine points. However, the Pacers signed him to a second 10-day contract, and Matthews’ next 10 days were completely different from his first contract. In the past four games, he has made 9 of 18 shots, including 7 of 15 from three-point range, for a total of 34 points, which was enough for the Pacers to announce Thursday that they had signed Matthews to a non-guaranteed standard contract for the remainder of the season. They waived forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl to make room to do that.
advertise
“They have confidence in me,” Matthews said Thursday when asked how the first contract was different from the second. “I’m grateful they gave me another 10 days after the first break. It was tough being at home for a while. It took me a minute to get back in shape, get back in shape and get into game shape. I’m grateful they gave me that opportunity.”
Matthews signed his first 10-day contract on Nov. 20, about a month after being waived by the Knicks at the end of training camp. He returned home to Tennessee and did what he could to stay in shape, but he couldn’t find much in the way of high-level basketball to keep him game-ready.
“The first 10 days were really about getting him reacclimated to training camp,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “He was like that when he was in New York, but when you sit for a month, even if you work out on your own at home, it’s hard to simulate NBA practices, NBA training camp practices and NBA games. He’s really working hard. There are clear signs that he’s close.”
After Matthews’ second 10-day contract expires, they must decide between him and Robinson Earl, who also signed two 10-day hardship exceptions before switching to a standard non-guaranteed deal. The Pacers were pleased with both players’ performances, but they ultimately decided Matthews’ shot was too important to let go. He has a career shooting percentage of 38.1 percent and has made 476 three-pointers in seven NBA seasons in almost all of his backup role. The injury-plagued Pacers, who currently rank 29th among the NBA’s 30 teams in 3-point shooting percentage, need to not only make shots but also force opponents to defend them on the perimeter.
advertise
“We know he has gravity,” Carlisle said. “He’s a guy that has to be included in the scouting report. He’s a competitor and he fills a need for us right now… If you don’t guard him, he’s going to score. It’s simple. Guys like that change the game. I coached Reggie Miller for many years. I coached Dirk Nowitzki 11 of 13 years in Dallas. “
Robinson-Earl, the Pacers’ successor, has been just as impactful and brought contributions to areas of weakness for the team. The former Villanova star is averaging 5.2 rebounds per game and 10.5 rebounds per 36 minutes, which ranks him second on the team behind center Isaiah Jackson. Robinson-Earl shot just 34.9 percent from the field and 24.2 percent from three in 17 games, but gave them a long-armed wing defender who can guard multiple positions and handle the ball.
“It wasn’t easy to let him go,” Carlisle said. “He’s a very solid player. He has all the qualities we like in a player. He has integrity. He works hard. He’s a detail-oriented guy. He’s a good preparer. We’ll see. Maybe he could end up playing for the Boom. I know he’s got some other opportunities. He’s making a decision now.”
Dustin Dopilak has played all season for the Pacers. Get more coverage with IndyStarTV and the Pacers Insider newsletter.
This article originally appeared in the Indianapolis Star: Why Pacers kept Garrison Matthews: ‘Guys like this change the game’
