Matthews thought Jordan was “all-in’’ with the Mavs

Earlier this week when word was spreading wildly that DeAndre Jordan was considering backing out of his commitment to the Dallas Mavericks so he can return and play for the Los Angeles Clippers, Wesley Matthews didn’t believe it.

In this new world where social media can twist and turn stories — for better or worst — on a dime, Matthews just couldn’t imagine Jordan reneging on his agreement to owner Mark Cuban and the Mavs.

“I thought that it was just rumors,” said Matthews, a free agent who signed a maxed-out four-year, $70 million contract with the Mavs on Thursday. “You know how everything goes throughout free agency and social media now.

“I didn’t believe what I was seeing and what I was hearing.”

But now, Matthews, who verbally committed to the Mavs a day before Jordan verbally committed, knows he saw and heard right.

In one of the worst days in Mavs’ history, Jordan decided he wanted to go back to the Clippers, and late Wednesday night he signed a four-year, $88 million contract with that Southern California franchise.

A six-year veteran, Matthews had healthy conversations with Jordan since last Friday when the 6-11 center decided he wanted to play for the Mavs. Matthews even communicated with forward Chandler Parsons, who was heavily recruiting Jordan, mainly because they share the same agent in Dan Fegan.

“We were excited to come here and we’re excited to try to take this franchise back to where it belongs,” Mathews said of he and Jordan’s thoughts at that time. “I got every indication that he was all-in, but he had a change of heart and that’s on him.

“I talked to Chandler during that time and I talked to, obviously Mark, during that time, and it was just real. But if he doesn’t want to be here, he doesn’t want to be here. We want people that want to be here and people that believe in what can happen here and what we’re going to work towards to have happen here.”

After Jordan decided to return and play for the Clippers, Cuban asked Matthews if he wanted out of his contract so he could go play elsewhere. Matthews told him he wanted to honor his contract and remain with the Mavs.

Matthews remembers when Dallas captured the 2011 NBA title, the Mavs defeated a charged-up Blazers squad in six hotly contested games in the opening round of the playoffs.

“I came to Dallas with one intention, and that’s to win and I’m excited about it,’’ Matthews said. “With DeAndre, without DeAndre, I know that this organization is a championship organization.

“The year they won it they knocked us out. I want a ring. I want jewelry. I want hardware, and I feel like we can do that here.”

Certainly, Matthews has made a great first impression on the Mavs. He had surgery on a torn Achilles tendon on Mar. 11.

Yet he was at the Mavs’ summer league mini-camp Friday. Maxed-out contract and all.

“This is definitely what I’m about,’’ Matthews said. “Whatever rumors you guys hear about me being in the gym, and not leaving and holding everybody accountable, that’s 100 percent true.

“I definitely wanted to be here for these guys. I wanted them to see me here and to know exactly what it is I’m about.’’

And Matthews steadfastly insist that he’s not about the money. He more than proved his worth after he signed a five-year, $34 million offer sheet with Portland on July 10, 2010 — an offer sheet the Utah Jazz did not match — after just one season in the NBA.

“This max contract, I said this when I signed my deal in Portland when people thought it was outrageous, it wasn’t going to change who I was, and it didn’t,” Matthews said. “If anything it made me hungrier.

“And this isn’t going to change me. This is going to do the same thing. It’s just going to make me hungrier to not only prove that I’m worth the money.’’

Money aside, Matthews just wants to prove that he, too, is an upper-echelon player who can play this game with the best of them. And he wants to help a Mavs team that was brought to its knees — in the wake of Jordan’s decision — get back on their feet.

“I just know that I can play this game and I know that I can play it at a high level and I know that I can help this team and I’m excited because Dallas feels the same way,” Matthews said. “Of course, I want to prove everybody wrong.

“But I found out quickly it’s impossible to prove everybody wrong.’’

Matthews should have an easier transition adjusting to the Mavs, since Dallas and Portland basically run the same offense, because Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts was a Mavs assistant under Rick Carlisle from 2008-‘12.

“It’s definitely going to make the transition a lot smoother,’’ Matthews said. “I’m one of those guys who can pick up on schemes

“In talking to coach Carlisle -- and I’m obviously familiar with the system having ran it in Portland -- just talking to him just yesterday, there’s opportunities that he sees how I can help this team, and I’m excited for those opportunities. Obviously there will be little tweaks, little difference, but I’m not worried about that at all.’’

Matthews also isn’t worried about his recovery from his surgery.

“We hit 17 weeks on Wednesday, and I’m getting stronger and better every single day, so I’m excited,’’ Matthews said. “We’ve got the best medial staff here and I should be back in no time.

“My heart is here and I’m excited to be here.’’　

This story was originally published July 10, 2015 at 3:11 PM with the headline "Matthews thought Jordan was “all-in’’ with the Mavs."