Ranking 10 Worst Bulls starters of the Michael Jordan era
By Tyler Watts
7. Wes Matthews
Matthews is the father of current Hawks wing Wesley Matthews. He played nine years in the NBA after being the 14th overall pick in 1980. The elder Matthews was a 6’1 point guard that joined the Bulls during Michael Jordan’s rookie year. Chicago was his fourth team as he entered his fifth year in the NBA, and the Bulls were looking to snap a three-year playoff drought.
Matthews started 38 of his 78 games played during his lone season with the Bulls where he averaged 5.7 points, 4.5 assists, and 0.9 steals in 19.5 minutes per game. The 25-year-old was a strong distributor that started all four of the team’s playoff contests in 1985. His production decreased in the postseason, and Chicago waived him in July.
Wes Matthews finished his lone season on the Bulls with a negative box score plus-minus, a 0.3 VORP, and a well below league average win shares per 48 minutes. The advanced metrics paint the picture of a subpar starter next to the GOAT in the backcourt.
Matthews had arguably the best year of his career the following season in San Antonio and played four years in the NBA after leaving Chicago. He was a journeyman that has plenty of stories about his lone season playing next to Michael Jordan.