As the list of teams interested in Bennedict Mathurin continues to grow, one of the newer teams reportedly open to adding him is the Dallas Mavericks, according to Michael Scotto. This makes sense at first glance. Mathurin is young and will have no problem playing in whatever role is asked of him by Dusty May, who will soon begin his first season as the head coach for the Mavericks.
However, the first question the Mavericks’ front office must ask themselves before any transaction is, how does it impact the rising superstar, Cooper Flagg? And, to be quite honest, the answer regarding the potential addition of Mathurin is that it’ll affect Flagg negatively, primarily due to a high shot demand and selfish playstyle of the 23-year-old.
If the Mavericks don’t stop and consider this, Flagg could be held back, which is not ideal, given that he is expected to join Victor Wembanyama, Luka Doncic, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as one of the faces of the NBA.
Bennedict Mathurin is just not a good fit next to Cooper Flagg
Sure, the strengths of Bennedict Mathurin are appealing. He is in the early stages of his career, understands how to get buckets, and has proven he can get the job done when the stakes are high, such as game seven of the NBA Finals for the Indiana Pacers (24 points and 13 rebounds) or the only Play-In Tournament game for the LA Clippers (23 points on 7-11 shooting).
However, just because Mathurin is an excellent player doesn’t mean he will automatically fit alongside Cooper Flagg.
The main issue Mathurin presented to the Clippers about his game is that he has tunnel vision when driving downhill. That’s not necessarily a good thing, as he would sometimes leave potential points off the board by taking a bad shot at the iron as opposed to kicking the rock out for a wide-open look.
Additionally, Mathurin demands a high volume of shots (he averages 12.0 per game over his four-year career) and high usage.
In another situation, these characteristics might not be a bad thing. But with the Mavericks, who want Flagg to prosper more than anything, rostering a player like Mathurin is a recipe for disaster.
That said, the Mavericks’ best bet is to forfeit the race for Mathurin. They may have needs that require fulfillment, and to do so, finding someone else is a significantly better option in the long term.
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