The Indiana Pacers could move on from Bennedict Mathurin amid trade season to avoid the headache of his impending restricted free agency.
In a recent article, ESPN's Bobby Marks questioned whether Indiana would want to keep Mathurin around past the trade deadline because of his contract situation. It's a fair question that only the Pacers can answer, so this will be worth monitoring throughout the season.
"Are the Pacers comfortable with Bennedict Mathurin playing out the season on the roster? ... Mathurin is a restricted free agent in the summer, allowing the Pacers to match any offer sheet. They are $16 million below the luxury tax next season (not including a lottery pick in June) and have not paid it since 2005-06. The Pacers are also searching for a starting center since Myles Turner left in free agency; Indiana has the draft capital and tradeable contracts to be aggressive, leading up to the Feb. 5 deadline," Marks wrote.
Should the Pacers keep Bennedict Mathurin?
The Pacers opted not to give the Canadian native a rookie-scale contract extension this past offseason, and it was easy to see why. As Marks mentioned, the Pacers have not paid the luxury tax since 2005-06, and signing Mathurin to a new deal would have pushed them closer to the threshold, if not over it.
Additionally, there are some question marks surrounding Mathurin's long-term fit in Indiana, and the team wanted to get some answers before making a decision.
The Arizona alum is a fantastic iso scorer. But in a Pacers system that relies heavily on moving the ball and pushing the tempo, he isn't exactly a perfect fit. Additionally, he does not provide much defensive or playmaking value, making it even more difficult for the team to commit to keeping him around long-term.
However, Mathurin's talent and potential were always clear, and that's especially the case this season.
In 15 games, he is averaging 20.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.3 assists while shooting 44.6% from the field and 41.1% from deep. Mathurin is playing some fantastic basketball, but more importantly, he is showing more defensive effort and willingness to pass the ball.
According to NBA.com, he is averaging a career-high 37.9 passes per game. A lot of this comes down to him just taking on a bigger role and having the ball in his hands more, but it's still a promising sign nonetheless as he continues to prove that he can move the ball around and be trusted as a decision-maker.
Furthermore, Mathurin is still just 23 years old and has a lot of room to grow. He has stepped up this season, and he is continuing to showcase exactly what makes him so special.
In theory, trading Mathurin might not be the worst idea for Indiana, especially if it helps the team land a new center to replace Myles Turner. But unless the upgrade is big enough, this wouldn't be worth it for the Pacers to do. Mathurin is proving his worth and showing what he brings to the table. He is a talented player who can blossom into something special.
If the price is right, then sure, trading Mathurin could work for the Pacers. Otherwise, they should hold onto him and keep him around for as long as possible.