Though he is eligible for one, most anticipate that the Indiana Pacers will not give Bennedict Mathurin his rookie-scale contract extension to avoid paying the luxury tax. Recently, ESPN writer Tim Bontemps confirmed that he is of that same mindset.
"This one feels unlikely," Bontemps wrote about the Pacers possibly signing Mathurin to a contract extension. "Indiana, a team that hasn't paid the luxury tax in decades, already has $160 million committed to seven players next season -- leaving the Pacers with about $40 million to fill out the roster below the luxury tax, and without a clear starting center among the players currently under contract. Getting something done that Mathurin would accept now feels too rich for the Pacers within those constraints."
Whether this is the right call or not remains to be seen, but at the very least, it seems like a guarantee that Indiana will let him play this season out and hit restricted free agency next summer.
The luxury tax and whether Indiana will want to pay it is not a new story. This was one of the main talking points heading into this past offseason in relation to Myles Turner's free agency.
Indiana has not paid the luxury tax since 2005-06, and re-signing its long-time big man likely would have broken that streak. Ultimately, Turner opted to join the Milwaukee Bucks (which apparently was a swerve to the Pacers), so fans may never know what the team ultimately would have done.
The Pacers are in a different situation now than they were even earlier in 2025, however. They had just lost in the NBA Finals before Turner departed, but ahead of what could be Mathurin's final season in blue and gold, they are not expected to be in the title picture. This likely drastically changes Indiana's willingness to go into the luxury tax.
Instead, the Pacers are going to let the Canadian native do his thing and prove his worth this season.
Bennedict Mathurin has a prime opportunity to solidify his Pacers future
Mathurin is a great player, but there's a reason the Pacers seemingly don't want to give him a new contract. At least not right now.
The Arizona alum can score at will and is excellent with the ball in his hands. Last season, he averaged 16.1 points while shooting 45.8% from the field and 34% from behind the line. These were solid numbers for Mathurin in his third season, but they're even more impressive since he spent a little less than half the season coming off the bench.
Unfortunately for Mathurin, while he is a great scorer, he is objectively not a good fit in Indiana's system. This is ultimately where the long-term concerns come into play, and it is why the Pacers are not willing to sign him to a contract extension.
The Pacers rely heavily on moving the ball around and making quick decisions. Additionally, because of their run-and-gun offense, they always have to push the tempo and improvise, not prioritize set plays in the half-court.
To say the 23-year-old doesn't fit into this system would almost be an understatement.
Mathurin is an exceptional iso scorer, but this means that his bread-and-butter is creating his own shot and putting the ball on the ground. The Pacers will need this out of him this season, but it may be a different story once they get Tyrese Haliburton back and want to re-establish themselves as title contenders.
Fortunately for Mathurin, he will have his chance to prove that he deserves to remain in Indiana for the long run. He is going to be the Pacers' starting shooting guard this season and will have a chance to take that next step in his development.
Things are looking great for Mathurin early on, but he needs to do more of what makes him special throughout the season. Whether he can or not may ultimately decide what his future looks like. Hopefully for him and the team, that will still include him wearing a Pacers jersey as they look to re-enter the title picture sooner rather than later.