The LA Clippers traded for Bennedict Mathurin, and in no time at all, he has begun dominating. Mathurin is scoring in various ways, defending with every ounce of effort, and has become a coach’s pet to Tyronn Lue. Indiana Pacers fans may be wondering, where did this suddenly come from? Well, he was being held back, and the Clippers are realizing they have a true second option, which is a fact that had been ignored for way too long.
With him dropping almost 40 against the Denver Nuggets, his third game as a Clipper, and back-to-back 20+ point performances thereafter, it is clear that the potential to win with the ball in his hands was always there.
Rick Carlisle and the Pacers just never saw the obvious, even after so much was on display last season. This mistake was entirely their fault, and now, from a distance, the city of Indiana will feel pain for the foreseeable future as the 23-year-old elevates his career in a situation that wants the best for him and will cater to his needs.
Bennedict Mathurin was overlooked on the biggest stage as an Indiana Pacer
Bennedict Mathurin could have been the perfect long-term complement to Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam. They would have easily been regarded as one of, if not the best, big-three in the league, yet Mathurin was never fully unleashed, and the blame should be on the system run by Rick Carlisle.
It was difficult for him to succeed, even if he had already proven himself, and the 2025 NBA Finals are a perfect example.
Why was Mathurin only played 14 minutes in game three, when he scored 27 points in 22 minutes, shooting 9-12 from the field, in game two? He was a big reason for the win, but still received the short end of the stick in terms of minutes, for what?
This was a consistent theme throughout the playoffs, though. In total, Mathurin averaged 17.5 minutes through an extensive 22-game run that was cut short by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Maybe if Carlisle played him the deserved amount, Indiana would have had a championship parade over the summer.
At the end of the day, the Clippers are beneficiaries of the Pacers simply neglecting their former sixth overall pick. He can get buckets in style and is the perfect, young co-star to have next to Kawhi Leonard for the postseason.