The Indiana Pacers have already proven they can contend with Bennedict Mathurin, despite him not being the perfect fit. Trading him would be an incredibly risky move for Indiana, and given how much potential he has, this may not be a move the team should make.
Ever since the Pacers drafted him sixth overall in 2022, Mathurin has been a fantastic addition to the team. He has gradually improved all across the board throughout his first three years in the NBA, and next season, he will be in line for the biggest role of his career up to this point.
So far, Mathurin has given the Pacers more reason to believe in him than not. Not only has he gotten better every season, but he has a skillset very unique to the Pacers, and he has stepped up numerous times when the team needed him to. This was especially obvious during their latest playoff run, particularly in the NBA Finals. However, he is still a potential trade candidate.
The Canadian native's future with the Pacers is up in the air, and he will have a fantastic opportunity next season to make his stance with the team crystal clear. How he plays in an expanded role will likely determine what is next for him, but as it stands, it would be an incredibly risky move for Indiana to move on from Mathurin, and they may just have to keep him around past next season.
The Pacers can contend with Bennedict Mathurin on the team
The biggest and perhaps most valid reason the Pacers would have to trade Mathurin is that he is not a great fit on the team.
Typically, the Pacers rely very heavily on fast-paced ball movement and improvisation, especially when Tyrese Haliburton is running the point. This run-and-gun offensive style is incredibly difficult to pull off, but the Pacers do it very well. However, even so, Mathurin's presence in the system might be seen as more of a negative than a positive because of how the team likes to operate.
The Arizona alum is more of an iso scorer who likes to put the ball on the floor. Granted, he is fantastic at getting buckets on his own, but many have described him as a "ball-stopper" because his playstyle does not fit Indiana's system. While this is fair, it clearly hasn't hurt the Pacers up to this point, and the pros far outweigh the cons for Mathurin.
There is a lot to like about Mathurin's game. Plus, at just 23 years old, he has not even reached his peak yet. Given the trajectory he is on, an All-Star appearance down the line would not be the unlikeliest thing in the world.
It could make sense for Indiana to move on from Mathurin down the line, but that does not make it any less risky. Mathurin is a fantastic scorer who has developed as an all-around player, and he should only continue to get better. His future with the team is not solidified just yet, but with a great showing next year, that should change.
The Pacers will have a lot of decisions to make soon, but until something changes, trading Mathurin away before he hits his peak should not be one of them.