Bennedict Mathurin Makes His Plea to Stay With the Clippers

Pending restricted free agent Bennedict Mathurin has made his offseason preference known in his post-elimination presser.

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After an inconsistent tenure with the Clippers since arriving in LA at the trade deadline, Bennedict Mathurin ended the season on a high note. The Clippers exited the postseason earlier than expected, but Mathurin shone bright on Wednesday, leading the team with 23 points thanks to his best shooting performance of the season, hitting 5/6 from downtown. Whether this was enough to earn him a spot on next year's team, however, remains to be seen.

After the game, Mathurin expressed his desire to be back with the Clippers, per team insider Joey Linn. He said that he already sees LA as home, and while he understands that "it's a business," the Clippers would be his top choice.

Bennedict Mathurin said he would like to be back with the Clippers if things align this summer.

Understands it’s a business, but said it already feels like home in LA.

— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) April 16, 2026

Pending FA Bennedict Mathurin Wants to Stay With the Clippers

Mathurin is one of two pending free agents on the Clippers' roster. Unlike John Collins, however, Mathurin is a restricted free agent. This means that the Clippers have the right to match any offer sheets for him and keep him on the team. They can also agree on a contract extension with him before letting him test the market. He can also play on his qualifying offer of one-year, $8.8 million, and can hit free agency next season.

The 23-year-old shooting guard would ideally sign a lucrative, long-term extension with the Clippers. Given that the team has cap space heading into the offseason, his desire to stay in LA is understandable. The Clippers are one of the few teams in the league that can give him the contract he desires.

There is a ton of uncertainty about the Clippers' future, most notably about where Kawhi Leonard fits. The organization's decision to invest in Mathurin will depend on whether they are trying to compete or rebuild next season.

If the Clippers are looking to contend around Leonard and Darius Garland in the next two seasons, Mathurin may not be the best investment due to his less-than-ideal fit next to the star duo. The former Pacer has shown a frustrating lack of improvement in his defensive intensity, three-point shooting, and playmaking so far in his four-year career. He can definitely score, but
LA may want to see more from him before committing long-term money.

The Clippers will at least have access to the non-taxpayer mid-level exception in the offseason. This is a maximum four-year deal that is projected to start at $15.1 million next season. Mathurin could realistically get offers around this four-year, $65 million figure. The Clippers could create more cap space after their team option decisions on Bogdan Bogdanovic, Brook Lopez, and Nicolas Batum. So, they can beat out most offers for Mathurin, but whether they will have interest in doing so is currently unclear.

If it was up to Mathurin, however, his future would belong with the Clippers.