Getty Russell Westbrook #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers talks to the teammates Max Christie #10, Wenyen Gabriel #35, Matt Ryan #37, and Juan Toscano-Anderson #95 as head coach Darvin Hamm listens in during the first half of their game against the Utah Jazz at the Vivint Arena November 7, 2022 in Salt Lake City Utah.
While there is plenty to nitpick about the start of the season for the Philadelphia 76ers, there are plenty of teams that would love to be in the spot they sit in. One of these is the Los Angeles Lakers who sit in 13th place in the Western Conference and are at a massive crossroads regarding what the future of the franchise entails. Amid this turbulent start, the franchise recently decided to release a fan-favorite 6’6″ sharp-shooter in Matt Ryan.
The 25-year-old has one of the more unique pathways to the NBA. Ryan went undrafted after splitting his time in college between Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, and Chattanooga. The New York Native spent time working as a Doordash driver and grave digger while awaiting his NBA opportunity. He bounced around the G League for two seasons before getting his first true NBA chance with the Lakers. During the 12 games, he spent with the team he averaged 3.9 points and 1.2 rebounds in his 10.8 minutes per game. He flashes a willing trigger from beyond the arc and connected on 37.1% of his three-point attempts while attempting 2.9 long-range shots per game. Ryan even hit a crucial game-tieing three-pointer against the Pelicans just a few weeks ago.
The Lakers have released Matt Ryan, per @ShamsCharania
In early November, Ryan knocked down this clutch three to send the game into OT, in which the Lakers would go on and win the game.
The Sixers still have an open roster spot and Ryan checks some boxes for what they should be searching for. He has handled his exit from the Lakers with class and some fans have already taken to Twitter to campaign for this move:
Nothing but gratitude for the city of LA and the @Lakers ! Any opportunity to play in the NBA, let alone for this franchise, is special. Thank you. Now I’m excited for whatever is next!
Matt Ryan is a better Duncan Robinson, get him on the sixers now!
Pros of Signing Ryan
The Sixers have been focusing on putting the proper complementary pieces around Joel Embiid and James Harden. Ryan would be an intriguing fit for this due to his willing trigger and ability to shoot off movement. He is capable of creating his shot without the ball and his quick release would be rivaled by only Georges Niang o the Sixers roster. The Sixers’ offense has been criticized for being too stagnant at times, and Ryan’s motor off the ball would stand out compared to the rest of the rotation.
He possesses good size and plays with great confidence. Ryan competes on both ends of the floor and is not afraid to get physical or play with passion. The Sixers still have an open roster spot as they elected to waive Isaiah Joe and Charles Bassey in order to maintain flexibility on the season. Ryan also would not be an expensive addition as he was on a non-guaranteed minimum deal before being waved by the Lakers.
Gracias Matt Ryan 🐐🔥💜💛
Cons of Signing Ryan
If the Sixers are saving the final roster spot for the perceived missing piece, Ryan likely is not that guy. The franchise has preached flexibility as the motivation for keeping the roster spot open and it does not seem likely such an unproven option would be what Daryl Morey has in mind.
The financial aspect is still extremely notable as the Sixers are fairly tight on cash. Due to their offseason moves to bring in P.J. Tucker and Danuel House Jr. with the non-taxpayer mid-level and bi-annual exceptions, the Sixers are under the hard cap this season. This means they cannot go above $156,983,000 in total salaries and as things currently stand they have $5,537,153 of wiggle room underneath this limit.
While Ryan surely would not fill this total, his salary could be used for a player they believe has greater value. The Sixers are also currently $1,768,271 over the luxury tax line which some have theorized they would like to get under. While Ryan would make a positive impact on the Sixers, the debate essentially shifts to if it is worth passing up on other possible options for this roster spot. With the trade talks just beginning to heat up and the holes on the roster still fully being identified, it should not be a surprise if the Sixers elect to pass up on the former Lakers sniper.