Two years ago, Bennedict Mathurin was the Indiana Pacers' third option in the NBA Finals against the eventual champion Oklahoma City Thunder. In a series that felt like it was climbing through mud, Mathurin was the only Pacer not named Tyrese Haliburton or Pascal Siakam who could create his own shot.
Now, just a few short years later, the Arizona Wildcat was simply part of the matching salary to trade for Ivica Zubac, dumped when it became clear that the Pacers did not want to pay him.
While that trade looks better and better by the day for the Pacers, it's still sad to think of what will happen to Mathurin, who is still a restricted free agent as we speak. The LA Clippers do not seem particularly interested in bringing him back, and the market for a scorer with lacking defense or playmaking is particularly dry.
It is simply a downfall that is hard to stomach, even if it could've been predicted.
Where did it all go wrong?
When Mathurin was drafted sixth overall in 2022, the Pacers envisioned pairing a star scorer with their in-place playmaking superstar, Tyrese Haliburton. That scoring upside has shown itself. Benny was a 17-point-per-game scorer last year, but the efficiency was always an issue.
If you're wondering why no one wants to take a glance at a 24-year-old wing who was just a top bench player for a Finals team, simply consider the fact that he shot 20 percent from deep after the deadline.
With the answer to the question of why his market is so empty found, why don't we consider something funnier: should he come home?
Should the Pacers bring back Bennedict Mathurin?
Fits for Mathurin seem hard to find.
The cleanest option is a team looking for admittedly flawed shot creation. The franchise that immediately comes to mind in that regard is the Detroit Pistons, who fell apart in the playoffs as more and more responsibility was placed at the feet of Cade Cunningham.
If the Miami Heat think they can get buy-in on the defensive end, they could really use someone of Mathurin's ilk either as a bench scorer or the starting two-guard on a now threadbare Heat roster. Miami took a player with similar measurables in Norman Powell to his first career All-Star appearance this year.
However, the funniest option by far would be a return to Indiana.
Think about it.
After a gap year, the Pacers have a bench unit that lacks any real wing depth. Ben Sheppard has pretty clear limitations, and the rotation beyond the top seven has serious warts. Mathurin has familiarity with the system, with coach Rick Carlisle, and with the fans in Indiana. He knows how to contribute to this team.
Alongside TJ McConnell and Obi Toppin, the Pacers could make the Zubac trade look even better and get a discount on the player they didn't want to pay tens of millions of dollars a year.
As far as 5D chess, that would be a pretty impressive move to manage.
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