Pelicans Must Avoid Falling into the Trap of Bennedict Mathurin Bidding War

The New Orleans Pelicans have still not made a single addition to their roster this summer. The only difference from the team that finished 26-56 last season has been the departure of Kevon Looney.

According to the latest reports, however, they have at least woken up from their long nap. Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver are at least seemingly pursuing free agents.

Bennedict Mathurin is reportedly their top target on the market. HoopsHype's Michael Scotto recently reported that the Pelicans, along with the Bulls, Bucks, and Mavericks, are exploring ways to acquire the restricted free agent. NBA insider Marc Stein later confirmed these reports, but added that the Mavs' interest isn't as serious as the other teams'.

This could create a bidding war between multiple teams, and this is a scenario the Pelicans must avoid at all costs.

Pelicans Can't Overpay to Win the Bennedict Mathurin Sweepstakes

Mathurin's fit in New Orleans is highly questionable. He is a good scorer, but everything else in his game leaves plenty to be desired. He is a poor shooter, a below-average defender, and a bad playmaker. For a team that has plenty of on-ball creators but not enough shooting, Mathurin is not additive. For a team that doesn't have solid rim protectors who can clean up messes in the backline, Mathurin only exacerbates the defensive issues.

Yet, if Mathurin can be had on a short-term, "prove it" type of deal, the Pelicans' interest could be understandable. If he is on a team-friendly contract, he could perhaps be used as a trade chip down the line.

If there is a bidding war for him, however, the prospects of acquiring him become less appealing.

Since he is a restricted free agent, the Clippers can match any offer sheet for Mathurin. The Pelicans would have to make the Clippers sweat to ensure that they land the former Pacer. This likely requires an offer sheet around the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, starting at around $15 million for next season.

The Pelicans will almost certainly want to stay under the luxury tax, so they will need to clear some cap space. New Orleans is reportedly discussing a trade to dump the $7 million salary of Jordan Hawkins. This will likely cost them at least two second-round picks.

New Orleans is not in a position to trade away future draft picks so that they can sign Mathurin to a market-value deal.

Alternatively, there is the sign-and-trade route. In order to make sure they land Mathurin, the Pelicans can engage in a sign-and-trade with the Clippers. This would also require them to give up assets, either in terms of draft capital or players. Especially since there are multiple suitors for Mathurin, the asking price could be higher than what the Pelicans should be willing to pay.

Let's hope that the Pelicans' front office isn't feeling pressure to add to the roster. Yes, they need to upgrade, but making a move for the sake of making a move would be a big mistake. They simply can't fall into this trap and overpay for Mathurin. This would take their offseason from frustrating to disastrous.

Add us as a preferred source on Google