Recently, Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle confirmed that Bennedict Mathurin will be the team's starting shooting guard next season. Mathurin has built a reputation as one of the top trash talkers in the league, and now, he will have an opportunity to back it up with a breakout season.
The Canadian native is such a good trash-talker that he is even admitted to doing it in multiple languages. For the most part, he has been able to back it up. However, next season will mark the first time he takes on an expanded role for an entire campaign, and that will be the ultimate test for him. This is especially true given that he is essentially auditioning for a second contract with the Pacers next season.
Bennedict Mathurin will have a great opportunity next season
Mathurin's minutes dipped in the playoffs last season, but that did not stop him from coming up big numerous times. And now that he is going to be Indiana's starting shooting guard on day one next season, he will be able to showcase his talents on a bigger level.
As it stands, the Arizona alum's future in Indiana is still up in the air. He is entering the final year of his rookie deal and is currently extension-eligible. However, all signs point to the team opting to let him play out next season and earn another contract rather than handing one to him now. Whether this is the right move or not remains to be seen, but more of the risk is on Mathurin anyway given that he would be a restricted free agent next year.
What Mathurin may have going well for him is that Andrew Nembhard will run the point next season with Tyrese Haliburton on the shelf. One of Mathurin's biggest problems with the Pacers is that he is not a great fit in their offense. While the team relies on fast-paced ball movement and pushing the tempo, the 23-year-old is someone who puts the ball on the floor and can create his own shot. However, with Nembhard at point next season, the Pacers are expected to run a more traditional offense in the halfcourt, which should give Mathurin a better opportunity.
There are pros and cons to keeping Mathurin around for the long run if you are the Pacers. On one hand, the questions about his offensive fit with the team are valid, especially given that he does not have enough positive value anywhere else on the court to truly fit in. However, on the flip side, he is a gifted scorer who has gotten better all-around throughout his NBA career. It could easily backfire for the Pacers if they choose not to keep a guy like him around.
While they may not look at it is such, the Pacers are in for a gap year next season. They might still make the postseason, but another deep playoff run will be incredibly unlikely. While this is not ideal, it will still give them a unique opportunity.
Next season, the Pacers will be able to experiment a bit and showcase some of their younger guys on a bigger scale. This especially includes Mathurin, who will have his best opportunity in Indiana so far to back up his trash talk and earn himself a new contract with the team.