What putting Mathurin on ice means for Pacers' potential trade talks

Indiana can lose wing Bennedict Mathurin for nothing this offseason, which makes this month prior to the trade deadline vital to his future.

Jan 2, 2026; Indiana wing Bennedict Mathurin (00) dribbles past San Antonio Spurs forward Carter Bryant (11) in what could be his last game as a member of the Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The Pacers lost a 12th consecutive game in dropping another close one against Orlando on Sunday, but Rick Carlisle is closing in on that elusive 1,000th career win. 

No, the horseshoes method isn’t going to cut it, but Indiana is undeniably performing better with key pieces like Aaron Nesmith and TJ McConnell getting healthier.

Unfortunately, Bennedict Mathurin was lost for the foreseeable future with a thumb issue, so overcoming his absence presents another obstacle. 

“When we’re down numbers, it becomes more challenging, but we’ve gotten some guys back,” Carlisle said prior to facing the Magic. “But now Mathurin’s out for a while.”

“A while” is an undetermined amount of time, but in NBA circles, it’s a good bet it means we won’t see Mathurin upgraded to ‘questionable’ on the injury report before the week is out. He attempted to play through pain, but had shot 10-for-27 over his previous three contests despite hitting five 3-pointers and shooting 14-for-14 on free throws.

Still, the situation could be worse. It’s not like the Pacers are jockeying for the Central Division lead. Stuck in the basement of the entire NBA, this period without Mathurin makes it easier to determine whether the former No. 6 pick should be part of the Pacers’ long-term plans.

Whatever results Carlisle is able to secure with Mathurin on the mend will make it easier for Kevin Pritchard and the rest of the front office to justify whether it’s worth it to pay Mathurin since the Montreal native is coming up on the final few months of his rookie contract.

No extension meant January would be massive month for Mathurin

The Pacers were always headed towards this decision, especially since they expected to struggle this season with Tyrese Haliburton sidelined following his Achilles tear in the Finals. Mathurin’s $9.19 million fourth-year option was picked up, making him a restricted free agent at season’s end, but an extension never came.

We’re now set to see if the Pacers are comfortable letting the chips fall for where they may this offseason. Indiana would be gambling another team won’t overpay for his services via qualifying offer it would be forced to match in order to keep the 23-year-old wing. If they’re not comfortable with that possibility, they’ll move Mathurin prior to the Feb. 5 trade deadline.

Mathurin is averaging 17.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists over 24 games despite a toe issue and this thumb injury, and he’s shot a respectable 36.6 percent from 3-point range. Still, he hasn’t exactly wowed the way a player on the cusp of securing a big bag should. 

Big Benn has missed window to guarantee big bag

Like Haliburton, Jayson Tatum is out, but the Celtics have seen Jaylen Brown turn into an MVP candidate. It’s not fair to hold Mathurin to that standard, but he wasn’t able to raise his game the way Derrick White or even Payton Pritchard has to lift Boston to the East’s third-best record. The Pacers wouldn’t be stuck in the basement if Mathurin had been better. Now it looks like his case for a big payday, at least from Indiana, rests.

Indiana putting Mathurin on ice doesn’t end the possibility that he can be dealt over the next month. He didn’t tear up his knee or even strain his calf. If a team likes his upside, they’ll make the Pacers an offer. Put Mathurin in the same boat as Golden State’s Jonathan Kuminga, who is very likely to get a ticket out of San Francisco over the next few weeks, but don’t expect Indiana to give him away. 

At this stage, it’s hard to say he’s not available. Indiana landed in an Eastern Conference without him and broke through to reach last season’s NBA Finals, but he averaged just 17 minutes per game throughout his team’s postseason run. His playoff run can be viewed as a microcosm for a career that has featured an All-Rookie First Team honor and an All-Star Rising Stars MVP. He had some nice moments, but was mostly inconsistent. Playing exclusively off the bench, Mathurin averaged 11 points and shot 30 percent from the field over 22 games. 

Time still on Montreal native's side even with new crop on horizon

Despite his struggles, Mathurin will turn just 24 right around the time the Finals end, about a week prior to the league opening for business for next season. There’s no question he can take a leap and become a 20-point scorer. If he becomes a 40 percent 3-point shooter and improves as a defender, he’ll be well worth a big payday. 

Indiana knows all this. Despite his lack of consistency, he’s known to be a good teammate and an elite competitor. His struggles aren’t for lack of trying. Unless someone wows them with an offer, the Pacers could simply hold on to him and see how things shake out over the summer. 

They’ll know after the lottery where they stand in pursuit of top prospects like Duke’s Cameron Boozer, BYU’s AJ Dybantsa and Kansas’ Darryn Peterson. How will Indiana’s roster look with Haliburton back? Will Mathurin have a place to continue to grow his game in 2026-27 and beyond? The Pacers’ brain trust is in the process of projecting that and will undoubtedly be weighing offers even with their fourth-year guard resting up to ensure his thumb and other nagging ailments heal.