The Chicago Bulls have been linked to Bennedict Mathurin, and on paper, it makes sense. A 23-year-old wing with his scoring ability would slide neatly into a roster built around Caleb Wilson, Josh Giddey, and Matas Buzelis.
But according to Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic, Chicago does not want to include future draft capital in a deal for Mathurin, even second-round picks. That stance could take the Bulls out of the running entirely, especially if the Clippers insist that picks be part of any sign-and-trade. For a player with Mathurin’s upside, that would be a costly line to draw.
The only way Chicago could avoid sending draft assets is by offering a player the Clippers actually want, one on a team-friendly contract. Based on the Bulls’ payroll and the realistic names available, that does not appear likely.
Mathurin’s production last season only strengthens the case. Across his time with the Indiana Pacers and LA Clippers, he put up 17.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game while shooting 43.0% from the field. For his fourth season in the NBA, those are serious numbers.
The bigger appeal is what comes next. Put Mathurin in a bigger offensive role, ask him to score at all three levels, and keep him active defensively, and he has the kind of path that can turn into an All-Star trajectory. That is exactly the sort of responsibility he could be handed in Chicago.
If he starts next to Giddey, the Bulls would have a backcourt that is tough to deal with. If Tiago Splitter instead brings him off the bench, Mathurin could still make a strong run at being the league’s best sixth man by season’s end.
That is why the reluctance to part with even modest draft value feels so limiting. Mathurin checks the boxes for fit, age, and upside, and the Bulls could be looking at a move that works out almost anywhere they place him. Instead, their unwillingness to include picks may keep them from making the deal at all.
In Other News...
Mavericks Face A Late Free Agency Squeeze Fans Should Watch
More than a month into free agency, the market for 2026 has already thinned out fast, with 44 of the top 50 players from the class off the board. A handful of notable names are still out there, though, including Jalen Duren, James Harden, Peyton Watson, Jonathan Kuminga, Bennedict Mathurin and Brandon Williams, and the longer this drags on, the more each unresolved deal starts to stand out against the rest of the leagues settling landscape.
For the Clippers, the watch list includes Bennedict Mathurin, one of the more prominent restricted free agents still without a finalized agreement. He has been linked to ongoing contract talks and has reportedly drawn interest from teams hoping to keep him in place, which makes his situation part of a late-summer squeeze that has already forced several teams to wait patiently for answers rather than move on to the next phase of roster building. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers Interest In Peyton Watson Comes With One Clear Limit
The Clippers have shown interest in Peyton Watson, but the price tag being discussed around the league helps explain why the conversation has stalled. Denver is looking for significant value in any sign-and-trade, and Los Angeles does have the kind of draft capital that could make a deal possible. Still, the Clippers have been careful about how far they are willing to go for a player whose appeal is obvious on the defensive end but whose offensive profile still leaves room for growth.
Watsons length and versatility make him an easy fit to covet, especially for a team that has spent plenty of time trying to add more two-way athleticism around its core. But the Clippers reluctance to part with major future assets reflects the other side of the evaluation, including questions about his half-court creation and a medical history that adds another layer of caution. For now, the interest is real, but so is the line Los Angeles does not seem ready to cross. [Read more 🡒]