The Indiana Pacers came up just short of winning their first-ever NBA Championship. It was their first Finals appearance in 25 years, and their unpredicted run centered around their deep and balanced roster. However, Indiana isn’t expected to bring back all of their players from this season, and one player in particular may be traded shortly.
According to Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale, Indiana could trade away Benedict Mathurin this offseason. The 23-year-old has had an up-and-down postseason with the Pacers, and despite his two 20+ point performances in the Finals, his time in Indiana could be over.
The team looks set to offer center Myles Turner a larger contract to keep him in free agency, meaning Mathurin could be on the way out. Even though Indiana reportedly plans to pay the luxury tax next season in hopes of keeping a majority of their current lineup, Mathurin might not fit their plans for the future.
He is also on an expiring deal, and trading Mathurin before he enters free agency could prove more beneficial for Indiana to get back something in return rather than losing him for nothing next summer.
Mathurin’s Uncertain Future With Pacers
At his peak, Mathurin is one of the best spark plugs off the bench, and he proved that for Indiana during their latest postseason run. Highlighted by 27 points in Game 3 and 24 points in Game 7 of the 2025 Finals, he can take over a game with his scoring.
However, such performances don’t come on a nightly basis for Mathurin. Outside of Games 5 and 7, he combined for just 36 points on 10/31 shooting. He had three other games in this postseason with 20+ points but eight games in the first three rounds with less than 10 points.
While his inconsistency was highlighted in Indiana’s 23 playoff games, the Pacers will have to make the key decision if they want to bring him back for next year. Along with the rise of players like Aaron Nesmith, Andrew Nembhard, and Obi Toppin, they might not have the space to keep a player like Mathurin in the 2025-26 season.
Another major factor in his future is Turner, who will be a free agent in this upcoming offseason. The Pacers expect to do everything they can to resign their center, and despite his up-and-down postseason run as well, will likely be a higher priority than Mathurin.
Despite the sometimes lackluster and sometimes remarkable playoff performances, Mathurin was Indiana’s third-leading scorer in the regular season. He averaged 16.1 points and 5.3 rebounds on 45.8% shooting in 72 regular season games. He could prove to be a valuable trade piece this summer, especially as the Pacers look to retool their lineup following Tyrese Haliburton‘s injury.
Haliburton’s Injury Changes Things
Losing Haliburton in Game 7 of the series against the Oklahoma City Thunder could drastically impact the Pacers next season. While the team has yet to confirm his injury, he will likely be out for all of next season, forcing Indiana to decide on their immediate future.
The NBA has a Disabled Players Exception (DPE) that allows teams to replace a player who will be out for a full season. Haliburton could fall into this category, allowing Indiana to free up a roster spot to sign another player.
However, the DPE is on a player-to-player basis, and Indiana already has two players with this exception. It is currently uncertain if they will be granted another exception for Haliburton’s injury.
With Haliburton out, along with the similar situation of Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics, Indiana might not go all-in to build another championship-contending team next season and wait to get their star player back and healthy.
The NBA offseason has already produced some major trades, including the Houston Rockets adding Kevin Durant and the Orlando Magic trading for Desmond Bane. Now, teams around the league could be looking for a scorer like Mathurin to add to their roster.
Mathurin will likely be a top trade piece, and even if the Pacers want to keep him, a high enough asking price could mean his time in Indiana is over.
Pacers Star Could Be On Trade Block After Finals Loss