Bennedict Mathurin is eligible for a rookie-scale contract extension this summer, but his future with the Indiana Pacers remains uncertain. However, after his incredible performance in Game 3 of the NBA Finals, the Pacers may have no choice but to give the Canadian native a new contract in the offseason.
In the Pacers' Game 3 victory, Mathurin scored 27 points on 9-for-12 shooting in 22 minutes. Additionally, he recorded four rebounds, one assist, and a steal. In addition to this performance, Mathurin had shown up multiple times in the playoffs before. This includes recording 20+ points in two of the Pacers' final three games in their Eastern Conference Finals matchup against the New York Knicks.
Mathurin's playoff campaign has been a bit rocky, but when he's on, he's proving that he has a long-term role in Indiana. With the NBA Finals still ongoing, there is still plenty of basketball left. However, as it stands, Mathurin may have just solidified his future with the Pacers and earned a nice payday along the way.
Bennedict Mathurin provides a lot of value in Indiana
He can be streaky at times, but Mathurin is valuable to the Pacers as a microwave scorer off the bench. There are legitimate concerns about his fit in Rick Carlisle's system, especially because he is more of an iso scorer, but the Arizona alum has way too much potential for the team to move on from him in the offseason, and that was made clear in Indiana's most recent victory.
Mathurin, who is turning 23 years old in just a week, sent the Pacers' front office a major reminder in Game 3: he is a former top-10 pick, a dynamic scorer, and a player who isn't afraid to step up on the big stage. Without his scoring output in Game 3, the Pacers would not have won the game or taken a 2-1 series lead in the NBA Finals against the league-leading Oklahoma City Thunder.
The message Mathurin is sending could make him a signifcantly more expensive player for the Pacers to keep around. If they want to maintain as much financial flexibility as possible while also re-signing Myles Turner in free agency, this could be a problem for them. However, the pros outweigh the cons when it comes to keeping Mathurin around for the long haul, and the Pacers might have to do whatever it takes to make sure he remains with the franchise as they aim to remain in title contention for years to come.