Bennedict Mathurin Is Among the Losers of Clippers' Draft Pick

The Los Angeles Clippers selected Keaton Wagler with the fifth-overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Even though there are still a ton of moving parts for the Clippers' offseason, LA now has the Wagler-Darius Garland-Kawhi Leonard trio in place to build around. Especially since Lawrence Frank signaled their intention to keep Leonard and Garland, the Clippers can now focus on the rest of their offseason decisions.

One of the most fascinating decisions will be about restricted free agent Bennedict Mathurin. Now that the Clippers selected Wagler, Mathurin's future in LA may be in jeopardy. In fact, the former Pacer should be considered among the losers of draft day.

Bennedict Mathurin May Be on the Move After Keaton Wagler's Arrival

If the Clippers are going to have a Wagler-Garland backcourt, what they need around them is rather obvious. There are going to be clear defensive concerns, stemming from a lack of physicality and athleticism. So, the Clippers need to surround this backcourt with as much athleticism and defense as possible.

Mathurin isn't able to provide what the Clippers are looking for. Mathurin had big scoring games after joining LA at the trade deadline, but the non-scoring aspects of his game left plenty to be desired. This has been the criticism of Mathurin dating back to his Pacers days. He can create shots for himself and score, but he doesn't do much else. His passing and shooting are below average, making his off-ball fit difficult.

The bigger problem is his defense. Despite having decent positional size and athleticism on paper, Mathurin makes absolutely no impact on that end of the floor. He can't guard bigger players due to his lack of strength and intensity, making him a two-position defender at best. He provides no help defense, averaging 0.7 steals and 0.2 blocks per game for his career.

This makes it difficult for Mathurin to play next to Garland and Wagler. The Clippers need perimeter defense, and if Mathurin can't guard at a high level, it will put a ton of burden on Leonard and whoever the starting center ends up being.

Moreover, now that Wagler is on the team, Mathurin's offensive impact isn't needed. The rookie out of Illinois can shoot, pass, and dribble at a higher level than Mathurin, making him an easier fit in the starting lineup.

This means that Mathurin will have to come off the bench. Some sixth men who can close games can be very valuable, but Mathurin may find it difficult to do so due to his poor fit next to the Clippers' new trio.

Understandably, this lowers Mathurin's value in the eyes of the Clippers. How big a commitment would they realistically make for a score-first sixth man? If the 24-year-old shooting guard is looking for a multi-year deal in the range of non-taxpayer mid-level exception (which starts at $15 million per year), he may be disappointed.

The Clippers can extend a qualifying offer to Mathurin for a one-year, $8.8 million deal. He can either choose to play on that deal and become an unrestricted free agent next season, or get an offer sheet elsewhere. LA will have the right to match any offer sheet, but after drafting Wagler, they may be less inclined to do so.

When Mathurin was traded to the Clippers, he likely thought that he would sign an extension and call LA home for a while. Since then, the circumstances have changed, and he may be on the move soon.

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