Bennedict Mathurin's future with the Indiana Pacers remains up in the air. However, the team must sign him to a new deal and ensure that he will stick around as they look to re-establish themselves as title contenders.
Mathurin is eligible for a rookie-scale contract extension this summer. However, it is currently looking like he will enter the season without a new deal. This would make him a restricted free agent next offseason.
Instead of giving the Canadian native a new contract, it seems that the Pacers are opting to give him a full season to showcase his value and prove his worth. Head coach Rick Carlisle already confirmed that Mathurin is expected to be the team's starting shooting guard next season. Because of this, he should have enough opportunities to prove he belongs in Indiana for the long haul.
He is far from a perfect player, but there is a lot to like about Mathurin with the Pacers, and it is very important that the team chooses to keep him around for the foreseeable future.
The pros outweigh the cons for Bennedict Mathurin
The potential reasons to move on from Mathurin make sense for the Pacers. His fit with the team is questionable, and signing him to a new contract would move them even closer to the luxury tax. However, there are more reasons to extend him than to move on from him, and the Pacers will learn that soon enough.
Mathurin is a ball-stopper on offense. Indiana relies heavily on fast-paced ball movement, whereas Mathurin is an iso scorer who puts the ball on the ground. Additionally, he does not provide much value on the court beyond his scoring, though he has greatly improved throughout his NBA career. Regardless, the Pacers have proven they can succeed with the Canadian native doing his thing, and he is still young with a lot of untapped potential.
The Arizona alum is far too talented for the Pacers to move on from him. He has a unique skillset in Indiana, and there are not many other players on the team who bring what he does. Mathurin is a bit streaky at times, and that was especially evident during the playoffs. However, when he is hot, he elevates the Pacers in a way very few can.
There are a lot of players to keep an eye on for the Pacers next season. However, perhaps none of them are as important as Mathurin, who is essentially fighting for a long-term spot with the team. Regardless, there are reasons to believe he can prove his worth to the Pacers, and they may have no choice but to keep him under contract for a long time.