Following their devastating Game 7 loss in the NBA Finals, the Indiana Pacers will turn their attention to the offseason, where they will have plenty of big decisions they must make. One of those decisions will be regarding the future of Bennedict Mathurin, who just reminded the team why they must keep him around for the long haul after his performance in his first-ever NBA Playoffs.
The Canadian native is eligible for a contract extension this summer, but there have been some discussions about whether the Pacers should give him a new deal or potentially move on from him in a trade. He has shown flashes throughout his first three years in the league, but there are concerns about Mathurin's fit in Indiana. However, if his playoff performances were any indication, it is that the Pacers would benefit from giving him a new contract this summer.
Bennedict Mathurin provided incredible bench scoring this postseason
Mathurin was up-and-down throughout the Pacers' NBA Finals run, but his good far outweighed the bad. In all, he averaged 11 points and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 45.9% from the field and 30% from beyond the arc. However, this includes five 20+ point games, two of which occurred in the NBA Finals.
It is also important to remember that Mathurin just turned 23 years old not even a week ago, and he still has an incredibly bright future. Though he had some bad games in the playoffs, he made it clear that he is not afraid of the bright lights, and he provides a lot of value to the team as a microwave scorer.
Giving up on Mathurin now would be a bad idea that could come back to bite them down the line. This is especially true given the injury to Tyrese Haliburton, whose Achilles injury in Game 7 might force him to miss most if not all of the 2025-26 season. In Haliburton's absence, the Pacers will need as much help as possible, especially on the offensive side of the ball. This will be a huge opportunity for Mathurin to take it up another level in his development.
The Pacers may have a busy offseason in front of them. After an NBA Finals appearance, the team will look to do whatever they can to ensure that they make it back as soon as possible, even with Haliburton's injury. However, no matter what they do, the Pacers must keep Mathurin around for the long haul, and that may involve giving him a brand-new contract this offseason.