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3 young players Pacers should develop, 2 to give up on

By Ben Grunert

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - NOVEMBER 19: Andrew Nembhard #2 and Tyrese Haliburton #0 of the Indiana Pacers celebrate in the second quarter against the Orlando Magic at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on November 19, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - NOVEMBER 19: Andrew Nembhard #2 and Tyrese Haliburton #0 of the Indiana Pacers celebrate in the second quarter against the Orlando Magic at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on November 19, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /
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The Indiana Pacers boast one of the brightest young cores in the NBA, led by one of basketball’s most cerebral point guards in Tyrese Haliburton. The 2022-23 Pacers showed serious promise as a top-10 team in scoring and passing. Indy’s roster has an average age of only 24.6 years, which sets the franchise up for an exciting future.

Coming off of his first season as an All-Star, Haliburton inked a five-year, $260 million max contract to stay with the Pacers. Indiana’s long-term success will mostly depend on whether the organization can surround Haliburton with the proper pieces as the floor general continues his ascension. Several young Pacers could develop into key cogs alongside Haliburton, and many of them already displayed elite chemistry with their franchise point guard last season.

For the most part, Indiana’s youth movement is oozing with potential. While the Pacers’ player development staff has plenty of enticing talent to mold, there are still a few youngsters who they should probably cut loose.

The Pacers should continue to develop Bennedict Mathurin

Kicking off this list is the most obvious choice on the Pacers roster. Bennedict Mathurin made headlines throughout a fantastic rookie season, much to the delight of Pacers fans.

Last summer’s No. 6 pick finished second in scoring among rookies, only behind Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero. Despite his somewhat inconsistent playing time, Mathurin scored double-digit points in 64 of his 78 appearances — only four less than Banchero’s 68. The Montreal native also shot better than Banchero from the field, 3-point line, and free throw line.

Last season, Mathurin rightfully became the first Pacer since Rik Smits to make the All-Rookie First Team. The rising star poured in 16.7 points per game with 28.5 minutes a night. However, he averaged 20.4 points in 35 games with 30-plus minutes.

Mathurin has a serious knack for drawing contact, thanks to his physical playstyle and impressive athleticism. In fact, he shot freebies at the charity stripe 5.8 times per contest. Per 36 minutes, Mathurin ranked No. 11 in the league in free throw attempts per game.

Most important of all, Mathurin has outstanding chemistry with Haliburton. The two guards play off of each other at an elite level, hence why Indiana’s two most dominant lineups from last season included the Haliburton-Mathurin duo.

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