From the beginning of the LA Clippers' offseason, perhaps the most important question was regarding the Benedict Mathurin situation: Will the restricted free agent be re-signed? Will he stay in LA, or will he be allowed to leave?
At first, his staying seemed like a lock. However, as time passed and the Clippers made other offseason moves, the shooting guard's available court time seemed to shrink, with other teams growing increasingly interested in the young Canadian player. The asking price to surrender him in a sign-and-trade scenario seemed steep, but the primary candidate to secure his services may have emerged: the Chicago Bulls.
The Bulls were one of the teams interested in the former Pacer, choosing to count on his scoring rather than focusing on flaws in his game, alongside the Dallas Mavericks, the Milwaukee Bucks, and the New Orleans Pelicans, according to .
Although rumors of Mathurin leaving LA have cooled since they first surfaced, reports that Chicago can offer what it takes to acquire him.
The package the Bulls may send the Clippers for Mathurin would be beneficial
The rumored package from the Chicago Bulls to the LA Clippers for Bennedict Mathurin centers on Isaac Okoro and several second-round picks. Chicago still has $9.3 million from the mid-level exception left, while Mathurin is expected to ask for an amount closer to the full mid-level range of $15 million.
If this scenario materializes, head coach Tyronn Lue will lose a strong scoring option but gain a defensive specialist. Given that other mainstays of the rotation, starting with Brandon Ingram and Darius Garland, are less reliable on defense, and that Rui Hachimura and Gradey Dick will demand their fair share of shots, adding defensive strength seems more necessary for the current Clippers.
Additionally, the franchise would collect picks to help build for the long term.
The Clippers still have interest in retaining Mathurin (17.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game while shooting 42.6 percent from the floor in his 26 games with LA last season).
Still, his future with the team is not so certain for now, given the speculation around Peyton Watson. And maybe it's the right time to give up on him, capitalizing on his current value.
Nonetheless, sending Mathurin to Chicago makes all the sense in the world, and in the grand scheme of things, what they would potentially receive in return would help Lue's rotation significantly.
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