Signing the sixth man who helped the Pacers reach the NBA Finals to a $8 million per year deal sounds stellar on paper. Bennedict Mathurin was an absolutely vital piece of Indiana's attack in the 2025 NBA Playoffs, a plug-and-play three-level scoring tool that Rick Carlisle used to absolute perfection.
Unfortunately, Mathurin is an incredibly one-dimensional asset, and it's a painful truth that the New Orleans Pelicans will slowly learn over the course of next season, all while Atlanta's odds of getting a top pick get stronger with each loss that the Pelicans accrue.
Bennedict Mathurin is (nearly) the last of a dying breed of score-first guards
Mathurin's scoring is praiseworthy. If he heats up, good luck to any defense hoping to contain his legitimately great three-level scoring ability, bolstered by his sensational athleticism.
Unfortunately for Mathurin, as with any player, the shot isn't always red-hot on any given night. On such evenings, when Mathurin's shot isn't falling, Pacers' coach Rick Carlisle demonstrated absolutely no problem taking him out of games in an instant.
The fact of the matter is that Mathurin doesn't excel in any other area outside of scoring. His defense is shaky, his playmaking is littered with errors, and his frame isn't enough to provide any positional advantage on the glass.
How will the Pelicans utilize their newly-acquired asset?
The good news for the Pelicans is that they acquired Mathurin for cheap. Two years, $16M isn't going to break the bank in the bayou.
Unfortunately, the Pels' roster construction is just... flat out strange.
Obviously, building around Zion Williamson is still the plan - their front office has made that much abundantly clear, after trade rumors swirled last season (as every year before). Beyond that, there's not that much of a plan.
They still roster ex-Hawk Dejounte Murray, whose injury concerns were once Atlanta's problem. Trey Murphy and Herb Jones remain heavily rumored as tradeable assets. Their center rotation of Yves Missi and Derik Queen leaves much to be desired in terms of their two-way ability (Missi's empty offense and Queen's lackluster defense).
Mathurin seems to fit right into the role that Brandon Ingram did for many years in New Orleans - a score-first wing with little ability outside of putting the ball through the net. The Ingram era didn't exactly make headlines, so there is little reason to think this revamped roster will, either.
The Hawks are watching the Pelicans crumble with a smile
Atlanta can simply wait on the sidelines, and watch with joy as their 2027 first-round pick (worst between New Orleans and Milwaukee) gets better and better.
Unfortunately, the pick is the worst of the Pels and Bucks picks, but that isn't saying much. Having traded Antetokounmpo to South Beach this summer, the Bucks aren't projected to make the playoffs, let alone the Play-In tournament in what's looking to be a loaded Eastern Conference this season.
Unless New Orleans suddenly flips the switch, look for Atlanta to have their eyes set on top-lottery talent for a second straight year, all thanks to the Pelicans.
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