The Indiana Pacers can extend Bennedict Mathurin before opening night, but the 6’6 wing is likely emboldened to bet on himself after the Warriors' saga with Jonathan Kuminga. Golden State is unable to get Kuminga to sign a contract, and the standoff will ultimately reward the player. The Warriors will sign-and-trade him, offer a contract he’s willing to accept, or lose him in unrestricted free agency in 2026. None of those are ideal scenarios from an asset management perspective.
Mathurin believes he can blossom into a star. He wants to back up his legendary trash talk, and the 6’6 wing has been an absolute bucket to begin his NBA career. Mathurin is expected to start this season with Tyrese Haliburton out, and it will give him an even larger stage to earn a massive contract.
Fans know the Pacers don’t want to pay the luxury tax, but there is no winning in this situation. If the franchise limits his minutes and production this season, it could just turn into another nightmare Kuminga standoff next summer. Nobody wins in that situation.
Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga mess screwed the Pacers in Bennedict Mathurin talks
Mathurin is set to make $9.1 million in the final year of his rookie contract. He will want $20 million or more each season after averaging 15.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 28.3 minutes per game to open his career. The Pacers are just $19 million below the luxury tax line (subscription required) in the 2026-27 season and are not committing to be an annual taxpayer.
Kuminga will get $20-plus million per year and may get a new team. Either way, the Warriors have destroyed the relationship. The Pacers are not a free-agent destination. They must rely on drafting and developing talent. They have done that with Mathurin and can’t afford to let him walk out the door with virtually no return.
Finding a workable deal for both sides before opening night should be the goal. The Pacers likely want to keep the 23-year-old in the non-taxpayer mid-level exception range, but there is no way Mathurin takes that discount. Starters are getting $20 million every year in the modern NBA, and the young talent has every reason to believe he belongs in that group.
The Pacers have difficult decisions to make. Do they trade Mathurin before the deadline or look to trim payroll elsewhere to keep the 6’6 wing? Indiana wants to build a contender around Haliburton when he returns, but they are not going to spend lavishly to do so. Mathurin is the most likely casualty of the team’s unwillingness to go into the tax.
The Indiana Pacers were screwed by the Warriors’ fumbling of the Jonathan Kuminga situation. Their inability to work out a deal at a reasonable number will embolden players like Bennedict Mathurin to push for more money. In this case, the franchise doesn’t have it to give. Fans should expect a messy breakup incoming, and Golden State will deserve some of the blame.