The Indiana Pacers still don't know which Bennedict Mathurin is the real one. And that could be a serious problem as they need to make a decision on his future by February's trade deadline.
Mathurin's season has been a very hectic one so far. He started the season scorching-hot, averaging 20.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.3 assists while shooting 44.6% from the field and 41.1% from beyond the arc in his first 15 games. However, it's been a different story for the Canadian native since then.
Over his last nine games, Mathurin has averaged just 14 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2 assists while shooting 38.1% from the field and 28% from deep. He also has been out of action since Jan. 2 because of a right thumb sprain, which may have played a big role in his recent struggles.
The Pacers need to make a decision on Mathurin soon: either move on from him ahead of the trade deadline, or re-sign him as a restricted free agent in the summer. However, if they don't know which version of Mathurin is going to show up more moving forward, they will run a serious risk of making a wrong decision that could come back to bite them.
So what should the Pacers do with Bennedict Mathurin?
No matter what the Pacers decide to do, there are going to be risks involved.
They could choose to trade Mathurin this season and land a new starting center in return. However, given how talented and young he is, this is risky as he could blossom into an All-Star-caliber player elsewhere. And given his contract situation, the Pacers likely wouldn't get full value for him in a possible trade anyway.
But on the flip side, there are genuine concerns about his long-term fit in Indiana. He's a ball-dominant wing on a team that prioritizes ball movement and pushing the tempo. Plus, it would be tough to justify keeping him on the bench if the Pacers are going to pay him around $25 million a year in his new contract (for example). But they also shouldn't demote someone like Aaron Nesmith just to insert the Arizona alum into the starting lineup.
Ultimately, the Pacers would likely be better off just keeping Mathurin around past the trade deadline, signing him to a new deal in the summer, and just figuring it all out later.
Mathurin is a very good player who has done well in Indiana so far. He's a microwave who is borderline unstoppable when he's hot. And while he may not be the ideal fit in the Pacers' system, he is a legitimate bucket-getter who can take a lot of pressure off players like Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam.
Trading him for a new center might not be a bad idea. However, there's a solid chance that the Pacers can just get whoever they want now in the offseason. And there might even be more options then as teams reset and retool their roster.
There is a lot to like about what Mathurin brings to Indiana. And as it stands, he should stick around for the foreseeable future and continue proving his worth as the Pacers look to re-enter the title picture sooner rather than later.