Bennedict Mathurin Lands Bargain Deal With Pelicans — Do Pacers Regret Letting Him Go?

Bennedict Mathurin has been a restricted free agent for nearly two months, but just signed a 2-year $16 million deal with the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday August 26, 2026.

The deal was reported by ESPN's NBA insider, Shams Charania. In Charania's report, this deal is official and the Los Angeles Clippers won't be matching the offer.

Bennedict Mathurin has agreed to a two-year, $16 million deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, including a player option, sources tell ESPN.

Mathurin’s reps approached the Clippers about withdrawing his $8.8M qualifying offer, effectively turning the QO into a more favorable situation in New Orleans with added security. Mathurin prioritized flexibility and the earliest path to unrestricted free agency next summer versus longer term offers with larger total commitments but greater team control.

The Pelicans have aggressively pursued Mathurin for over a year and view him as a significant part of their young core while the deal also keeps New Orleans below the luxury tax line this season.
Shams Charania of ESPN on X

After the Pacers traded Bennedict Mathurin to the Los Angeles Clippers in the deal for Ivica Zubac the fan base was torn. Mathurin was the highest pick for the Pacers since they selected Rik Smits with the No. 2 overall pick in the 1988 NBA Draft.

Fans fell in love with Mathurin's confident approach to the game and his ability to score at all three levels. However, the Pacers did not have a starting role available to offer him with Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith solidfying themselves as the long-term answer for the shooting guard and small forward roles.

This turned Mathurin into the scoring punch guard-wing off the bench, and it appeared that he wanted a larger role. In addition to that, Mathurin was seeking an significant increase in pay and the Pacers felt that they could not afford to pay him what he was supposedly wanting.

Fast forward six months from when Indiana made the trade for Zubac, and Mathurin has now agreed to a deal with the Pelicans for less per year than what he was making in his final season for the blue and gold.

This is quite the turn of events, but make no mistake about it, the NBA's new CBA has turned restricted free agency into a disadvantageous spot for restricted free agents. With most teams operating with little to no cap space, it makes it nearly impossible for a restricted free agent to find a better deal than what their current team can pay them.

Mar 18, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers center Ivica Zubac (40) shoots the ball while Portland Trail Blazers center/forward Robert Williams III (35) defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Indiana's decision to move on from Mathurin was a tricky one, but it was the only viable option they could move in order to land Ivica Zubac. Sure, they could have included a Jarace Walker and Ben Sheppard in the deal, but the Clippers were enamored with Mathurin's abilities. After seeing how Mathurin performed and with drafting Keaton Wagler, the Clippers ran into the same problem the Pacers ran into; the starting role couldn't be guaranteed and Mathurin wanted a bigger and better opportunity.

New Orleans had made zero offseason moves before this one, but it is a terrific gamble for a team that is desperate for youth and talent. It's uncertain if Mathurin will find a spot in the starting five with Dejounte Murray, Jordan Poole, Saddiq Bey, and Trey Murphy III on the roster, but with several of those players viewed as trade targets, Mathurin could work his way into one.

The biggest hurdle Mathurin faces is playing for Jamahl Mosley. Mosley is a defense-first coach and Mathurin is an offense-first player. Seeing how these two mesh together will be a fascinating storyline, but he also is a massive trade target since he has a player option for next season.

Mathurin wanted the opportunity to be an unrestricted free agent as soon as next offseason, so he took a deal worth less money than what the Clippers had offered.

Had the Pacers kept Mathurin for this upcoming season and still found a way to acquire Zubac at the deadline, a good portion of the fan base would be much happier with the make up of this team. However, the Pacers would still be in the same boat they were last season. No room for Benn in the starting five, and with his contract basically expiring, looking to move off of him before the lose him for nothing.

Feb 2, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard/forward Bennedict Mathurin (00) shoots the ball in the second half against the Houston Rockets at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

At the end of the day, the Pacers saw enough out of Mathurin in his time here to realize that it was okay to move on from him and not feel like their championship window was closed. While we have no proof that Zubac and Oubre Jr. will pan out for the team, the fit on paper makes more sense for those two than it did to prioritize keeping Mathurin.

Yes, I am sure the Pacers would have been thrilled to have kept Mathurin and added both Zubac and Oubre Jr., but that reality seems extremely unlikely. The Zubac trade doesn't get done without Mathurin involved, and Indiana likely doesn't sign Oubre Jr. if they re-signed him instead.

Indiana's season opener on the road against New Orleans just got a little more intriguing with Mathurin now a member of the Pelicans, but the Pacers won't lose sleep over the moves they made. Mathurin is a gifted scorer, but Zubac and Oubre Jr. are more impactful two-way players who better complement the construction of this Pacers roster.

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