The Pelicans have kept Bennedict Mathurin on their radar, and they weren’t just casually checking in. According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, New Orleans was the most serious in-season suitor for the swingman before he was traded from Indiana to the Clippers, and Marc Stein reported that the Pelicans have also been in touch recently with Mathurin’s camp.
Stein added that New Orleans is one of two teams to show recent interest in Mathurin, who is now a restricted free agent. The other team hasn’t been identified.
Mathurin’s production after the move to Los Angeles gave teams plenty to think about. In 26 games with the Clippers, including one start, he put up 17.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 28.0 minutes per night.
That was close to what he had been doing for Indiana to open the season, when he averaged 17.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists across 28 games. The biggest dip came from deep, where his three-point shooting dropped from 37.2% on 5.6 attempts per game with the Pacers to 20.7% on 3.2 tries per contest with the Clippers.
Los Angeles gave Mathurin a qualifying offer in June worth approximately $8.77MM, which made him restricted. Since his rookie contract expired four weeks ago, there hasn’t been much public buzz around his market.
One report last week said the Clippers would like to bring him back, but they’re waiting on the Kawhi Leonard trade to get sorted out. That same report also pointed to sign-and-trade interest in the 24-year-old.
That route could make the most sense for New Orleans. The Pelicans are currently less than $10MM away from the first tax apron, and while they aren’t hard-capped there yet, they would be if they offered Mathurin more than the taxpayer portion of the mid-level exception, which is $6.06MM.
If the Pelicans can send out matching salary in a sign-and-trade, that would open one path to landing him. Another would be to clear salary in a separate move and then use the non-taxpayer mid-level exception to sign the former sixth overall pick to an offer sheet with a starting salary as high as $15.04MM.
One report last week said New Orleans has also been looking into trade possibilities involving Jordan Hawkins, who is on an expiring $7.02MM contract. Moving that deal would give the Pelicans enough room to use the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception without going into the tax or triggering the first apron.
In Other News...
Clippers Linked To Four Team Trade That Could Fix Their Wing Depth
A speculative four-team trade idea making the rounds would give the Clippers a very different look on the wing, with Bleacher Reports Greg Swartz floating a deal that sends Peyton Watson to Cleveland in a sign-and-trade with Denver and moves Dennis Schroder to Detroit. For Los Angeles, the appeal is straightforward: the proposal would bring in Max Strus and Cameron Johnson, two players who could help address a roster need that has lingered as the team looks for more reliable depth on the perimeter.
The broader framework would also send draft picks and veteran role players back to Denver, giving the Nuggets a fuller return while tying the whole concept together financially. It is still only a hypothetical, not an official transaction, but the structure is the kind of multi-team machinery that can make sense on paper for a Clippers club trying to balance fit, depth and cost as it keeps exploring ways to strengthen the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Bennedict Mathurin Just Reached A Clippers Crossroads That Could Get Awkward
Bennedict Mathurins restricted free agency has put the Clippers in a familiar spot, balancing the urge to keep talent with the reality of a tight payroll. The qualifying offer on the table is worth $8.8 million, and for a player still trying to establish his long-term market, the short-term security could come with a bigger opportunity attached.
For Mathurin, the cleanest path may be to take that deal, bet on himself for another season and try to reach unrestricted free agency next summer with more leverage. The Clippers, meanwhile, are in no hurry to rush into a larger commitment, preferring to see more of him in their system before deciding whether he is worth a more significant investment. [Read more 🡒]
Sixers Just Found Another Way To Stay Dangerous In The East
The Clippers picked up some extra draft capital and a young forward in a small but useful transaction with Philadelphia, a reminder that even the quieter moves around the margins can matter for a team trying to keep its roster flexible. For Los Angeles, the deal came with a second-round pick attached, and it fits the kind of low-risk, asset-building approach that can pay off later even if it does not change the rotation right away.
Philadelphia, meanwhile, used the trade to keep its books in order after loading up on major talent, opening a roster spot and preserving the cap room it needed to stay below the first apron. The maneuver helped the Sixers bring in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope while still managing the rest of a crowded financial picture, which is the sort of housekeeping that can decide how far a contender can keep pushing. [Read more 🡒]