Bennedict Mathurin has been on a tear since the Indiana Pacers traded him to the Los Angeles Clippers. And it didn't take long for him to remind the Pacers that he is a legitimate asset off the bench because of his fantastic shot-creation and microwave abilities.
In 13 games with the Clippers (including just one start), the Arizona alum has averaged 19.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.2 steals while shooting 42.2% from the field in 29.5 minutes (his three-ball still hasn't fallen in Los Angeles yet as he is shooting just 21.3% from beyond the arc, though he's hit four of his last nine deep balls with the team).
Mathurin has scored 20 or more points in four of his last five games. And according to StatMuse.com, he is leading all NBA players in total bench points since the trade deadline with 238 (for reference, Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard, the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, is second with 206).
The Pacers knew what they were giving up when they traded Mathurin to the Clippers as part of the Ivica Zubac trade. But early on, they're learning firsthand that maybe (and it's a big maybe), they made a mistake by trading him away rather than signing him to a new deal in the summer.
The Pacers' decision to trade Bennedict Mathurin was very risky
In theory, it made a ton of sense for Indiana to trade Mathurin. He was a questionable fit because of his ball-stopping habits, and there were concerns about what his long-term role would be with the team and whether it would be worth paying him anywhere from $20 million to $30 million a year just for him to come off the bench.
Plus, to get something, you have to give something. And, to be direct, the Pacers probably had no chance of landing Zubac without including Mathurin in the deal.
But despite all of that, this was still a risky decision by Indiana.
Sure, maybe he wasn't an ideal fit, but there was never any denying how talented Mathurin is. He is a gifted iso scorer who can get hot in a second. And with him no longer on the roster, the Pacers don't really have anyone who can create his own shot and score at the levels that he could.
Now that the Canadian native is off the team, the Pacers don't have anybody who can truly take the pressure off of guys like Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, or Pascal Siakam if the offense ever gets stagnant.
Mathurin is playing some of the best basketball of his career in Los Angeles. And while it's way, way too early to say the Pacers are going to regret trading him down the line, it's not looking great for them right now.