This season has been a bit of a roller coaster for Bennedict Mathurin. Entering the season fresh off a season-ending injury last year, the Canadian native's future with the Indiana Pacers was uncertain with some thinking he would be used as a trade candidate before the deadline. To begin the year, this idea was further cemented since he logged fewer than 30 minutes in each of the team's first four games, including logging just 14 minutes in a loss to the Orlando Magic. Since then, however, Mathurin has turned things around in a major way.
Mathurin has started 44 of his 49 games this season (though most of this has to do with Aaron Nesmith's injury that sidelined him for over two months) and has seemingly established himself as a future cornerstone for the franchise. On the year, he is averaging 16.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. He is also shooting 47.2% from the field and 35.3% from beyond the arc.
By most accounts, this season has gone as well as it possibly could have for Mathurin so far. However, the one major negative is that he now puts the Pacers in a tough spot that could impact them now and in the long run.
Bennedict Mathurin is eligble for a contract, Pacers have a financial crunch
After this season, Mathurin has just one year remaining on his rookie contract. He is eligible for a contract extension this upcoming offseason, and in theory, this decision should be a no-brainer for Indiana. Mathurin is just 22 years old and provides a lot of value to the team. However, one problem exists--the Pacers are going to be a very expensive team soon.
In addition to Mathurin, the Pacers have Myles Turner to worry about this summer. The long-time big man is currently in the midst of a contract year and will hit unrestricted free agency after the season. Though there are reports suggesting that the two sides may not be able to come to terms on a new deal, the Pacers have expressed interest in bringing Turner back. As the team looks to shed some salary over the next couple of years, this makes Mathurin's future with the team a bit more interesting.
Furthermore, despite having strong counting stats, Mathurin does not stack up from an analytical perspective. Over halfway through the season, Mathurin ranks among the 20 worst players in the league by VORP (Value over Replacement Player). On its own, this is not a big deal, but it still creates a predicament for the Pacers as they will have to invest a lot of money to keep him around when investing that money elsewhere could be the right move.
If the Pacers want to keep Turner, trading Mathurin could be a legitimate option once again.