The Indiana Pacers chose not to extend Bennedict Mathurin to a rookie-scale contract extension this past offseason. And so far, it's looking like they made the completely right call.
Most assumed that Mathurin wasn't going to get a new contract in the summer, but it was still a risky move regardless. The Pacers seemingly want to remain under the luxury tax, which they haven't paid in two decades, and giving the Canadian native a full season to prove his worth could have just raised his value and put him out of their price range. Even as an impending restricted free agent.
Instead of signing him to a new deal, Indiana opted to give Mathurin a chance to fully prove himself this season. There have been doubts about his fit in their system and concerns about what his long-term role was going to be. So instead of signing him to a new deal in the summer (that could have backfired), the Pacers named him the starting shooting guard for opening night and gave him his chance.
The season started incredibly well for Mathurin. But in recent weeks, he has left a lot to be desired on the court, proving that the Pacers' front office made the right call. Again.
Should the Pacers keep Bennedict Mathurin around?
The jury is still out on whether Mathurin is a good fit in Indiana's starting lineup moving forward. But at the very least, there is no denying that he is an asset and can be one for many years.
One of the Arizona alum's biggest problems is his streakiness and inconsistencies. Unfortunately for him, that has been the exact case this season, despite him taking on a bigger role.
In his first 12 games, Mathurin averaged 21.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists while shooting 45.7% from the field and 42.9% from deep. However, in his next 12 games, he averaged just 14.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2 assists on 38.2% shooting from the field and 29.4% from beyond the arc.
A big reason for Mathurin's fall off can likely be attributed to injuries. In December, the 23-year-old spoke about how his toe injury, which sidelined him for 11 games this season, still bothered him on the court. Additionally, he has been dealing with a right thumb sprain that is expected to keep him out for an extended period of time.
Regardless, it was still a bit concerning to see him struggle as badly as he did following his red-hot start to the season.
It remains to be seen what exactly the Pacers will do with Mathurin. Will they trade him before next month's deadline? Or will they just wait until the offseason to fully make a decision? Whatever they decide, the safest option is to just re-sign him in the summer and work things out later. He is incredibly talented and has already shown what he brings to the table, even if it's not always pretty all the time.