The Indiana Pacers may have no choice but to trade Bennedict Mathurin this season. He is an impending restricted free agent, and his long-term role with the Pacers is still unclear. Plus, since they are reportedly eying an upgrade at center, the Pacers may have to include Mathurin in a deal because of his contract status and overall value.
For Indiana, however, this is incredibly risky. Mathurin has shown flashes of star potential (particularly to begin this season), and he still has a lot of upside, given that he's just 23 years old. Through 23 games this season, the Arizona alum has averaged 18.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while shooting 42.8% from the field and 36.8% from beyond the arc in 32.7 minutes.
There is a world that exists where Mathurin is an All-Star-level player. Unfortunately for the Pacers, at this point, there is a very real chance he's not going to become that player with them.
Pacers may have to trade Bennedict Mathurin
If the Pacers do ultimately move on from the Canadian native, it won't be because they don't believe in his talents. It will just be because they have other, more pressing needs elsewhere.
Mathurin is an incredibly skilled player. He is a fantastic iso scorer who can get hot in a flash. Additionally, while he's far from perfect, he has shown growth as a passer and defender this season. He is showcasing that he can be a good fit in Indiana's system, but it still might not be worth keeping him around.
A new deal for Mathurin may be worth around $25 million per year or so. For some context, this would make him the third-highest paid player on the Pacers' roster next season, according to Basketball-Reference.com. Given that the Pacers are still unsure whether he's going to be a starter or bench player moving forward (and the fact that they haven't paid the luxury tax in two decades), signing him to this deal might not be the smartest move.
Ultimately, Indiana needs a new big man. Jay Huff and Isaiah Jackson are not going to be long-term starters for the team. And if the Pacers are serious about re-entering the title picture as soon as next season, they're going to need a dependable big man they can start on a regular basis.
The problem for them is that, in order to get what they want (whether it be someone like Ivica Zubac, Daniel Gafford, Walker Kessler, etc.), they're going to have to be active in the trade market. And to get something, you have to give something...which is exactly where Mathurin comes into play.
It's a bit scary for Indiana. On one hand, the team might have to trade him this season to avoid either losing him for nothing in free agency (even if he's a restricted free agent) or potentially paying him a deal that could come back to bite them. However, if Mathurin were to get a full green light somewhere else, the sky is the limit for what he can become.
And that should terrify the Pacers.