Bennedict Mathurin has the talent to be a long-term contributor for the Indiana Pacers, but his inconsistencies are hard to ignore. And this is a major reason the team decided not to sign him to a rookie-scale contract extension in the offseason.
The Canadian native has mostly been great for Indiana this season. In his first five games, he averaged 26.4 points on 50.7% shooting from the field and 38.7% from deep, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists. However, Mathurin finally had a bad game this season on Monday against the Detroit Pistons and came back down to earth in a major way.
In the loss to Detroit, Mathurin recorded 14 points on 3-for-13 shooting, four rebounds, one assist, and three turnovers. He also missed a late three-point attempt in the fourth quarter that would have tied things up for Indiana.
Mathurin still has incredible talent and potential, and he should be a long-time contributor for the Pacers. However, there was a reason the team didn't want to commit to him long-term just yet, and fans just saw another glimpse of that.
The Pacers didn't sign Bennedict Mathurin to an extension
Indiana chose not to sign Mathurin to another contract in the offseason, instead letting him prove his worth this season before restricted free agency next summer.
This was a bit of a risky move, but it wasn't hard to see why the Pacers went down this path. Mathurin is a great scorer and has developed as an overall team player, particularly as a defender and facilitator. However, there are questions about his fit in Indiana, as well as his ability to produce at a high level on a consistent basis.
The Pacers' offense works so well because they rely heavily on ball movement and pushing the tempo. Mathurin, however, is best suited as an isolation scorer who likes to put the ball on the ground and create his own shot.
While it can be incredibly beneficial to have a player like this to alleviate some pressure from Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam, this also doesn't immediately bode well for Mathurin's future. He is already a questionable fit, and signing him to a new deal would likely move Indiana to the luxury tax. Unless he is on his A-game almost all the time, it might be difficult for the Pacers to justify keeping him around for the long run.
Yes, this is just one bad game so far this season, but it still serves as a reminder why the Pacers were hesitant to give him a new contract. In order for him to prove his worth, he needs to prove that the 26 PPG scorer who can also contribute in other areas of the game is the real Mathurin, not the one the team got on Monday.
Does Mathurin deserve to stay in Indiana for the long haul? Absolutely. He is too talented for the team to move on from, especially at this stage in his career. But he still has a lot to prove, and if he doesn't make the statement he needs to, then the Pacers may choose to move on from him entirely before they keep him around for the future.