The Boston Celtics have a difficult Anfernee Simons dilemma on their hands ahead of his impending unrestricted free agency. On one hand, they can trade him to address one of their biggest needs (i.e., landing a center upgrade), or they can keep him around and risk losing him for nothing in the summer.
Does this sound familiar, Indiana Pacers fans? Well, it should, considering that your team is in a very similar situation with Bennedict Mathurin.
Like Boston and Simons, the Pacers have a difficult Mathurin dilemma they need to answer ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline. Mathurin is likely going to hit restricted free agency in the summer, and Indiana has to make a decision: either trade him for a center now, re-sign him (even if it leads to a potential overpay), or risk losing him if his market becomes too robust as an RFA.
These two situations aren't exactly the same. Simons is set to hit unrestricted free agency (meaning there is a lot more pressure on the Celtics to make a decision), and he is only in his first season with the team. But as for Indiana, the control is completely in its hands, and it has a better idea of what Mathurin brings to the team.
What should the Pacers do with Bennedict Mathurin?
The jury is still out on what the Celtics will ultimately do with Simons.
This season, the Florida native has averaged 14 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.5 assists while shooting 44% from the field and 40.2% from deep (all coming off the bench). This includes a 39-point performance against the Miami Heat on Jan. 15.
Simons has established himself as a real asset for Boston, but it's unclear what exactly his role with the team will be once Jayson Tatum returns and Payton Pritchard (the reigning Sixth Man of the Year) reverts to his original role. The Celtics can save the headache by trading him for a center this season, unless they feel strongly enough about keeping him together and letting it ride with Neemias Queta.
The Pacers are in a bit of a different situation, though. They have seen a lot more out of Mathurin (both good and bad), yet they still don't know what the right move truly is.
There is a lot to like about the Canadian native and his talents, but re-signing him might be risky. It's still unclear whether he's going to be a sixth man or a starter for the long run, and there are valid concerns about his fit in Indiana as a ball-dominant wing on a team that likes to push the tempo.
Paying Mathurin potentially around $25 million per year (which would make him their third-highest-paid player on the roster, according to Basketball-Reference.com) could seriously backfire for the Pacers.
In theory, trading the Arizona alum could make sense. It avoids any potential headache his restricted free agency might cause, and it also allows them to upgrade at a position they desperately need to. However, while it might be a risky move, the Pacers should just keep Mathurin around past this season and re-sign him in the summer.
Mathurin is way too talented for Indiana to just move on from. He might be inconsistent and a less-than-ideal fit, but he is borderline unstoppable when he's hot (let's not forget how great he was to begin this season). And factoring in Boston's situation with Simons, the Pacers might have to be in some bidding wars for guys they shouldn't be in.
Trading Mathurin wouldn't be the worst idea in the world, especially if they get a real upgrade at center. But at this point, they might be better off just keeping him past the season and figuring it out later. Whether Boston does that with Simons, though, is a completely different story worth keeping an eye on.