The 2024-25 season has been a rocky one for Bennedict Mathurin, but he has proved one thing throughout the year--he deserves to be with the Indiana Pacers for the long run.
Entering the season, there were some doubts about Mathurin's future. Though he showed a lot of potential in his first two seasons in the league, he did not have a defined role. Additionally, the Pacers were four wins away from the NBA Finals last season, despite Mathurin missing the entire playoffs. This was a crucial season for Mathurin as some even considered him more of a trade candidate than a franchise cornerstone. Nonetheless, the Canadian native has done enough to solidify his future with the Pacers.
Despite mostly coming off the bench in each of his first two seasons, Mathurin has started 44 of his 51 games for the Pacers this season (though most of this has to do with Aaron Nesmith's injury that forced him to miss over two months). Nesmith returned from his injury in January and initially came off the bench while head coach Rick Carlisle kept Mathurin in the starting lineup. Recently, Carlisle made the switch and moved Nesmith back into the starting lineup.
Moving him to the bench might look like a demotion for Mathurin. However, it now seems like it is the complete opposite, and that it may be exactly what he needs to maximize his and the Pacers' full potential.
Moving back to the bench is great for Bennedict Mathurin
Carlisle explained his decision to move Mathurin back to the bench in favor of Nesmith. In doing so, Carlisle pointed out that Mathurin is a score-first player, which could actually hinder him as a starter since he shares the court with Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam.
“It creates a better balance on our team,” Carlisle said. “Benn’s a scorer, and Benn needs to get shots, and we have (Tyrese Haliburton) and Pascal (Siakam) out there to start games. This just makes it work better from an offensive standpoint.”
On paper, this makes a lot of sense as it allows Mathurin to play up to his strengths. While not to the same extent, it is similar to the Oklahoma City Thunder opting to keep James Harden on the bench back in the day instead of starting him alongside Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant.
Through two games, Carlisle's decision seems to have paid off for Mathurin. In those games, the Arizona alum averaged 23 points, four rebounds, and four assists on 51.7% shooting from the field. This includes a 28-point performance off the bench in an overtime win against the Washington Wizards.
Moving Nesmith back to the starting lineup is also a good idea as he provides more defensive value than Mathurin.
While Mathurin is certainly good enough to be a mainstay in the Pacers' lineup, having him come off the bench instead for now might be the best move for both sides. For now, though, fans will have to wait a week before they get to see Mathurin back in action as the All-Star break looms.