Bennedict Mathurin is eligible for a rookie-scale contract extension this summer, and no matter what, the Indiana Pacers need to sign him to a new deal and make sure he sticks around for the long haul.
The Pacers are going to be in a strange position next year. They are fresh off their first NBA Finals appearance in over two decades, and they took the best team in the league to seven games. However, with Tyrese Haliburton likely missing the entirety of next season due to an Achilles injury, the Pacers are going to be in for a gap year, rather than be in serious contention to return to the NBA Finals.
While this is not ideal for Indiana, there is one silver lining, and it is that they will have more of a chance to experiment a little bit and give different players bigger opportunities to showcase what they have. This includes Mathurin, who should take on a bigger role offensively in Haliburton's absence and could find himself in the starting lineup full-time.
The Canadian native has already proven he can show up when under the bright lights, and he still has plenty of room to grow. Mathurin could be in line for a breakout season next year, and the Pacers need to give him a new contract before he becomes a bit too expensive.
The Pacers cannot trade Bennedict Mathurin
Likely the only other realistic solution to this Mathurin dilemma would be to trade him this offseason and avoid having to give him a new contract and have to pay the luxury tax. However, the 23-year-old provides too much value and potential for Indiana to trade him for financial reasons.
There are some legitimate concerns regarding Mathurin's long-term fit with the Pacers. He does not provide much defensive value, he is more of an iso scorer (which does not fit Indiana's offensive system), and he is very streaky. Even so, his pros outweigh his cons, and that was obvious in the playoffs.
In his first playoff campaign, Mathurin averaged 11 points and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 45.9% from the field and 30% from the three-point line off the bench. While these numbers are not jaw-dropping, this does include multiple 20+ point game performances, including a 24-point, 13-rebound showing in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. He had quite a few lackluster games, but Mathurin provided a ton of value for the Pacers in the playoffs, and it is way too early for them to justify giving up on him.
It still remains to be seen what the Pacers' long-term plan for Mathurin is. The Arizona alum has lots of potential, but Indiana may just view him as nothing more than a microwave scorer off the bench. Either way, the Pacers have something in Mathurin, and it would be a massive mistake to trade him this offseason, even if they still want to avoid paying the luxury tax.
The Pacers have plenty of decisions to make this summer, and Mathurin is going to be an important player to keep an eye on. After his showing in the playoffs, however, this decision should be a no-brainer for Indiana.