As the LA Clippers have officially entered the offseason, it’s time for the front office to begin thinking about what to do regarding Bennedict Mathurin’s future. The problem is, they are caught between two decisions: keeping him around or letting him walk as a restricted free agent. Mathurin had a rough 26 games in LA, but showed up on Play-In day, which was the biggest game of the season, making the final verdict as challenging as can be.
In fact, against the Golden State Warriors, with everything at stake, Mathurin led the Clippers in scoring with 23 points, and added three rebounds, three steals, and two assists, shooting 7-11 from the field and 5-6 from beyond the arc.
It’s safe to say Mathurin had himself a night, but the Clippers cannot disregard the poor efficiency, lack of playmaking, and recklessness he consistently showed in the many games before.
If the price is right, the Clippers should keep Mathurin
While there is a valid argument for not wasting time and money on Bennedict Mathurin on another contract, he is just 23 years old, and the LA Clippers should match any reasonable offers in free agency with the hope that he will grow into a star.
In support of Mathurin’s case, he has shown a handful of impressive traits. To name a few, he can easily rack up points at the charity stripe, has a level of confidence only superstars possess, and defends with no questions asked.
And again, the Play-In game is his biggest line of defense, as, despite shooting a terrible 20.7% from beyond the arc as a Clipper, he walked into the Intuit Dome versus the Golden State Warriors and drilled five three-pointers, the second-best of his fourth season in the NBA.
Therefore, Mathurin deserves a ton of props, especially because only a few others on the roster showed up next to him, prepared and ready to play.
The key, though, is to ensure the money he earns doesn’t put the Clippers in trouble. Lawrence Frank must operate in line with the market. Doing so will keep LA in a position to avoid overpaying.
So, if it’s $10 million, $15 million, or even $20 million annually, the Clippers should go through with it, as long as the numbers make sense for the future.
But, in the event Mathurin’s wants conflict with what’s best for the Clippers in the long run, there should be no compromise.
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