Trading Bennedict Mathurin may be inevitable for the Indiana Pacers, but there is a great chance such a move could backfire, especially if he goes to the right team and flourishes.
Mathurin will essentially be fighting for his life as a Pacer next season with an expanded role. What he makes of it will determine what his future in the NBA looks like as his long-term role in Indiana is still up in the air.
The Canadian native is eligible for a rookie-scale contract extension this summer, but it does not seem as if he is going to be getting a new deal. At least not yet. Instead, the Pacers are expected to give him an opportunity to showcase his value next season and prove that he can be an asset to the team as they look to remain in title contention. Hopefully for Mathurin and the team, he can do exactly that and ensure that he sticks around for the long run. If not, the Pacers would, in all likelihood, move on from him, and that would be an incredibly risky move that is not worth taking.
Bennedict Mathurin can flourish anywhere
The biggest reason the Pacers would move on from Mathurin is that he is not a great fit in their system. While Indiana likes to run a fast-paced style that relies on a lot of ball movement, the Arizona alum is more of an iso scorer who puts the ball on the floor and slows the pace down. A lot. This, combined with the fact that he is due for a new contract, makes his future with the team questionable.
Though that is a fair reason to move on from Mathurin, it is also one of those situations where the risks do outweigh the reward. Nobody is denying Mathurin's talents, just his ability to fit in Indiana. He has a unique skillset and could be an asset on just about any team in the league. Even if his fit is not ideal, losing a guy like that, especially for a young and competitive team like the Pacers, could pose huge problems for them in the long run.
As it stands, the Pacers would be better off keeping Mathurin around and figuring it out as time goes on. Not only have the Pacers proven they can compete regardless of whether Mathurin is a good fit or not, but they have relied on him numerous times to step up, which he did a lot during the team's latest NBA Finals run. Furthermore, it is easy to forget that he just turned 23 years old. He still has a lot of room to grow, and he has not hit his peak yet. Indiana can still mold him into the player they want him to be.
There is a lot to like about Mathurin. He is a gifted scorer and has improved a lot as an overall team player. Trading him could be enticing for the Pacers, but by all means, they are better off keeping him around for the long haul. After all, it would not be a great day for them to see him flourishing for a rival team, which would almost inevitably happen if they decide to trade him.