Matt Ryan Thanks Lakers For Opportunity To Play For Them In 2022-23
Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

Matt Ryan’s inspirational stint with the Los Angeles Lakers turned out to be a short-lived one as L.A. waived the forward earlier this week.

The Lakers decided to part ways with Ryan in order to open up a roster spot ahead of Dec. 15 — when players who changed teams in the offseason become trade-eligible again. The 25-year-old made 12 appearances for the Purple and Gold this season, averaging 3.9 points in 10.8 minutes per game.

But Ryan doesn’t appear to be holding a grudge after L.A.’s decision to cut him. The forward tweeted a thank you message earlier this week, showing appreciation for the opportunity to play for the Lakers:

The Lakers signed Ryan after he emerged as one of the better shooters on the roster in the offseason. And he proved his shooting skills after the 2022-23 campaign started, knocking down 37.1% of his triples on 2.9 attempts per game for the Purple and Gold.

And Ryan will forever remember the buzzer-beater 3 he made in the early November matchup with the New Orleans Pelicans that sent the game to overtime — allowing L.A. to secure a win in the following five minutes of extra time.

“This is definitely the biggest shot of my life so far,” he said after the game.

Ryan went from going undrafted in the 2020 NBA Draft to working as a food delivery driver, to playing professional basketball for the Boston Celtics (in one 2021-22 appearance) and the Lakers.

And after displaying his shooting skills this year, his NBA career might not be over yet.

Lakers ‘had internal discussions’ about trading Russell Westbrook for Bull’s DeMar DeRozan & Nikola Vucevic

Waiving Ryan suggests the Lakers are getting ready for some roster reshuffling. Rumors claim L.A. has had “internal discussions” about trading Russell Westbrook for Chicago Bulls duo DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic earlier this season.

However, the Lakers are now believed to be leaning toward making a smaller trade involving Patrick Beverley or Kendrick Nunn for the time being.

Still, the Purple and Gold could reportedly reconsider moving Westbrook ahead of the February trade deadline — in addition to exchanging Beverley and Nunn for role players that would fit better with this year’s roster.

Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!

You May Also Like

Lakers Officially Sign Dwight Howard To One-Year, Non-Guaranteed Deal

The Los Angeles Lakers officially announce they have signed Dwight Howard for the 2019-20 NBA season. While terms…

Basketball Spotlight: The 3-pointer, Lonzo Ball, And The Future Of The NBA

The NBA is at a crossroads and Adam Silver must address the…

Lakers Vs. Kings Preseason Preview: First Look Of 2022-23 Roster At Crypto.com Arena

The first look at the 2022-23 Los Angeles Lakers comes on Monday night as they host the Sacramento Kings…

Los Angeles Lakers Vs. Indiana Pacers NBA Highlights

The Los Angeles Lakers look to bounce back tonight in Indiana after…