Clippers' Offseason Decision on Bennedict Mathurin Complicated by His Injury

The Los Angeles Clippers' injury concerns clearly hurt their chances of making noise in the postseason. Yet, the implications of these injuries could have a lasting impact beyond this season. This is especially true in Bennedict Mathurin's case. The 23-year-old shooting guard is headed to restricted free agency in the offseason, giving the Clippers a fascinating decision to make amid his current injury.

Every game Mathurin misses between now and the end of the season means one fewer game for the Clippers to properly evaluate his fit on the team. The Clippers need as much data as possible about Mathurin to make a determination on his next contract. The former Pacer already missed three straight games with a toe injury and remains sidelined ahead of Monday's clash against the Bucks. With only 11 games left in the regular season, the Clippers are running out of time to evaluate Mathurin.

Mathurin has only played a total of 69 possessions next to Darius Garland and Kawhi Leonard since joining the team. First, it was Garland who was dealing with a toe injury. Once he returned, Leonard tweaked his ankle last week. Now the superstar forward is back on the court, but Mathurin is the one sidelined.

The Clippers looked great in those 69 possessions and have a +58.0 net rating, per Cleaning the Glass. However, that is fewer than one NBA game's worth of possessions and is simply not enough of a sample to make any determination.

Clippers Have a Fascinating Mathurin Decision to Make in the Offseason

On paper, the Clippers should have an interest in keeping Mathurin long-term. He was the prized acquisition in the Ivica Zubac trade, along with two potential lottery picks. He is the only young player on the roster with serious upside. The organization has long talked about its desire to get younger, and Mathurin helps them extend their competitiveness window.

At the same time, overpaying your own players is a proven method of being stuck in mediocrity. Teams tend to fall in love with their players and overrate them, leading to player-friendly contracts. As a volume scorer, Mathurin is the exact type of player that is most commonly overrated and overpaid. Nobody doubts his scoring ability. It is everything else, including his playmaking, defense, and off-ball ability, that remains a question. And those things require a large sample size to fully appreciate and evaluate.

The Clippers haven't had that chance yet. They would love to see Mathurin thrive next to Garland and Leonard as the third option who can take on tough defensive assignments. In an ideal scenario, the Clippers would get out of the Play-In and have a playoff series where they can see Leonard, Garland, and Mathurin on the court together for an extended time.

Due to Mathurin's restricted free agency status, the Clippers have the right to match any offers for Mathurin. They can also just sign him to an extension, but it may be wiser to see what his market is first, especially if he can prove himself to be an ideal fit next to the Clippers' stars. This will be a fascinating negotiation in the offseason.