Ahead of his impending restricted free agency, there are still questions about Bennedict Mathurin's future with the Indiana Pacers. Nobody knows if he's even going to stick around past the Feb. 5 trade deadline, and even if he does, there is no telling what his long-term role in Indiana will be.
However, based on Aaron Nesmith's level of play in recent games, one thing has become clear: if Mathurin is going to stick around past this season, he's not going to do it at the expense of Nesmith's starting job.
Aaron Nesmith has been fantastic this season
Through 18 games this season, Nesmith has averaged 14.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while shooting 40% from beyond the arc. Additionally, he is still playing a crucial role on defense and constantly makes a positive impact whenever he's on the floor.
Over his past few games, though, the Vanderbilt alum has taken it up another level.
Since the turn of the calendar, Nesmith has averaged 16 points, 5 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and a block while shooting 41.2% from the field and 44.4% from deep. Not that it was ever a question, but he's showcasing just how important he is in Indiana's starting lineup, and that might not bode well for Mathurin.
The Pacers are in a tough spot with Mathurin. They can re-sign him in the offseason for potentially $25 million per year, but what they do after that is where the real question comes in. Indiana can keep him on the bench (which is probably his best role anyway), but it would be tough to justify paying that much money for a sixth man.
But on the flip side, the Pacers can't insert him into the starting lineup full-time, especially since it would likely be at the expense of Nesmith.
There's a case to be made that Mathurin might be more talented than Nesmith. He is a better iso scorer, has more upside, and has way higher highs than Nesmith does. But does that mean he's a better starter in Indiana's lineup? No.
Nesmith is a fantastic complement alongside Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam, and Aaron Nesmith. Not only does he provide tremendous defensive value, but he doesn't need the ball in his hands all the time to be productive on offense either. The South Carolina native has turned into a great 3-and-D player, a lot of it has to do with his ability to knock down catch-and-shoot threes at a high level.
Moving forward, there shouldn't be any questions about whether Mathurin should be in the starting lineup or not, regardless of what the Pacers decide in the offseason. It's becoming clear that Indiana shouldn't mess with its starting lineup next season, and if that means keeping someone making around $25 million a year on the bench, then so be it.