Last year, Bennedict Mathurin's season was cut short due to a shoulder injury he suffered in March. Not only did he miss the final month of the regular season with his injury, but he also missed the entirety of the Indiana Pacers' conference finals run, which he later admitted was a bittersweet feeling for him.
Ahead of his third season, there was some doubt about his long-term future in Indiana. Not only did they prove they could be successful without him on the court, but he also did not have a defined role with the team. This season was a crucial one for his Pacers future. Fortunately for him and the team, he proved his worth and became an established part of the roster. However, the Pacers will have some difficult decisions to make in the offseason that could impact Mathurin.
This summer, the Canadian native is eligible for a rookie-scale contract extension. Despite there being some doubt about his future in Indiana last year, those doubts are all gone, and he has proven that he deserves to be with the team for the long run. However, the Pacers also must re-sign Myles Turner, who will hit unrestricted free agency. Earlier reports have indicated that the Pacers do not want to pay the luxury tax, meaning it could be difficult for them to bring both players back. However, regardless of the situation, the Pacers only have one solution to this dilemma, and Mathurin just proved that.
Bennedict Mathurin reminded everybody how far he has come
One of Mathurin's biggest flaws was that he did not have much of a polished game outside of his scoring. He had size and the tools to be a well-rounded player, but he did not grow into that until this year. While scoring is still his bread-and-butter, Mathurin has improved drastically as an all-around player and is now a big contributor to the Pacers' winning basketball style.
Recently, Mathurin spoke about his growth and becoming a much more well-rounded and versatile player, and it is exactly what the Pacers want to hear.
"I think my game has grown a lot," Mathurin said. "Not specifically through stats, but understanding the game, playing with a lot of great players on this team. Obviously, my role has changed a lot from the beginning of the season until the end of this season. But I think being able to play different roles on the team allows me to be a better player. It doesn't change who I am as a player. It just allows me to prove and to learn and to grow."
Mathurin is still just 22 years old and has a lot of room to grow. Even so, he is still an important part of the roster and should continue to be one. Like he said, Mathurin has proven that he can help the team win regardless of what his role is, and that is an important ability to have.
It makes sense that the Pacers do not want to pay the luxury tax next season, especially since they have not done so since 2005. If this is true, they may have to cut costs and move on from some contracts. However, no matter what they do, they must do whatever they can to ensure that Mathurin stays in Indiana past this offseason and for the long-term future.