The excitement and joy still live from the LA Clippers’ trade with the Indiana Pacers involving Bennedict Mathurin, yet right as the acquisition was made, the front office added a financial decision regarding his next contract to their agenda, which will linger until it is settled. Mathurin will be a restricted free agent this summer, and with many teams expected to show interest, the time is now to begin thinking on a reasonable number.
However, in the process, the Clippers will consider factors such as age, leadership, availability, and two-way performance. They ultimately want the best of both worlds: Mathurin to stay and his salary to be team-friendly.
On the flip side, Mathurin would evidently love to be paid a pretty penny, and to do so, he must get comfortable in his new threads fast and show out for the Clippers in the postseason, as he did for Indiana in the NBA Finals.
The Clippers will likely play the waiting game on Bennedict Mathurin
The LA Clippers know for a fact that Bennedict Mathurin will be an integral part of their future. He was the biggest player of the return package surrounding Ivica Zubac, and LA chose him, in particular, to be one of the stars of the next era.
But under restricted free agency, Mathurin cannot just walk to the doorstep of another contender, agree on a number both parties want, and leave his original team behind; that is not how it works.
In reality, the possibility of a different route going into effect is high, and it benefits the Clippers. They will simply sit back and wait until they are notified that someone else has offered Mathurin a long-term contract, then they will have two days to match the money in order to keep the 23-year-old right where he is.
This is smart, as it allows the organization to pay a player based on market value. Lawrence Frank and Co. are eager to see him prosper in red, white, and blue, and even if they dig slightly deeper into their pockets than expected, everyone will be on board with the decision.
That is how valuable the scoring and defense he has presented so far are at his age.
That said, trading for Mathurin was step one, but retaining him is another ball game. It will require patience and just a tad of luck, as the Clippers hope he lands a discounted agreement elsewhere; in the end, everything is in play to pan out as ideally as possible.