Bennedict Mathurin's future with the Indiana Pacers is still up in the air as he prepares for restricted free agency in the summer. But if the Pacers are ultimately going to trade him this season to avoid giving him a new deal, they absolutely have to trade for a new starting center.
In a recent episode of the "Game Theory Podcast," Bryce Simon said he believes the Pacers should look into getting their center upgrade ahead of this year's trade deadline. He also mentioned the idea of the Pacers trading Mathurin to Minnesota as a way to get that done.
_"I wasn't saying, 'Hey, go get your center right now because you want to win games right now.' It was just, like, is there an opportunity to swoop in and get somebody now that may not be available in the offseason? ... I keep hearing people bring up the Bennedict Mathurin to Minnesota idea ... He's going to restricted free agency ... I think they have some interesting names," Simon said._
What should the Pacers do with Bennedict Mathurin?
--------------------------------------------------
Simon is absolutely right in saying that, if Indiana is serious about landing a new starting center, it should explore the trade market this year.
At this point, the Pacers can't be picky, and they need to explore all their options. It's unclear how realistic it is for Indiana to acquire a new starting center before the trade deadline, but at the very least, it's worth a shot. This is especially true given that Mathurin is far and away their best trade asset (maybe aside from their 2026 first-round pick, but that's not going anywhere).
Trading the Canadian native to Minnesota doesn't make a lot of sense, though.
If the Pacers are going to trade Mathurin, it should be for a real upgrade at center. The Timberwolves aren't going to trade them Rudy Gobert (as if the contracts would match up anyway), and a potential Mathurn-for-Naz Reid-centered deal might not be worth it for either team to do given how important they are to their respective teams.
There are valid reasons for the Pacers to trade Mathurin. His long-term fit in their system is questionable, and it still remains to be seen what his role is going to end up being. Giving him around $25 million per year, but having him stay on the bench isn't ideal. Yet benching someone like Aaron Nesmith just to put him into the starting lineup is incredibly risky.
However, the Arizona alum is also an incredibly talented player who has only gotten better during his time in Indiana. He is a fantastic iso scorer who can take a lot of pressure off guys like Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam. Plus, he can get hot in a second and is borderline unstoppable when he's on (he already has 10 career 30-point games in the NBA).
There are risks involved regardless of what the Pacers do with Mathurin. But ultimately, they're better off just [keeping him past the trade deadline](https://8points9seconds.com/pacers-must-avoid-making-massive-bennedict-mathurin-mistake-amid-latest-rumors) (unless the trade is way too good to pass up), re-signing him in the summer, and just figuring it all out later.
The 23-year-old is a gifted player who can thrive in Indiana. He raises their ceiling and should be a long-term asset as the Pacers look to re-enter the title picture. Trading him might not be the worst idea in the world, but as it is, [Mathurin should stick around](https://8points9seconds.com/pacers-must-avoid-tempting-bennedict-mathurin-decision-amid-trade-season) for the foreseeable future.