A question everyone and their mother has about the LA Clippers this summer is: why would they choose to re-sign Bradley Beal, who is far from his prime, has availability concerns, and didn’t showcase much last season in the games he did play, over a 24-year-old Bennedict Mathurin during a youth movement? It’s absolutely fair to wonder, as, on paper, this comes off as a senseless decision.
However, on the “Third Apron,” Tomer Azarly joined host Yossi Gozlan and made a great point: the Clippers wanted a low-maintenance guard who wouldn’t make a scene when they lose minutes to others in the rotation. Mathurin would be playing for a hefty payday, which means he cannot afford to have his playing time cut, while Beal already has his money and understands his role on the team.
For what it’s worth, Azarly added that Beal has a close relationship with head coach Tyronn Lue.
All things considered, it’s safe to say the LA Clippers made the right call
Last season, Bennedict Mathurin joined the LA Clippers at the trade deadline and had a short run of A-plus performances. Once he cooled off, Mathurin’s flaws began to show, and it became clear at various points the Clippers were better off with him off the floor. Head coach Tyronn Lue even took it to those extremes in one of the most important games of the season on April 10th, where the youngster only played five minutes.
That said, a similar sequence could happen again next year, and if it does, Mathurin may complain and cause problems off the court, especially because he would be working towards a lucrative salary.
With Bradley Beal, you don’t have this issue whatsoever. Will he still want minutes and the opportunity to contribute? 100%. Any former All-Star who is 33 years old would want to be used to their fullest capacity on both ends of the court.
However, if things start to go south with Beal and he’s not performing as expected, he would handle a cut in minutes better than Mathurin.
As a result, the Clippers’ front office made the right decision in ultimately prioritizing Beal over Mathurin, despite one being far more beneficial to the team long-term than the other. The contract of the legendary Washington Wizard is also extremely team-friendly, with roughly a 50% guarantee in the second year of his deal.
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