The Los Angeles Clippers are likely to retain a productive player this offseason who played a key role on an NBA Finals team just over a year ago.
According to NBA insider Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, the Clippers are likely to retain Bennedict Mathurin after numerous teams expressed interest in him at the start of free agency.
“As far as Mathurin goes, LA does have interest in bringing him back, and that has been the message from the team since free agency began,” Siegel wrote. “At the same time, he has been discussing potential sign-and-trade opportunities with other teams as a restricted free agent and has received interest from the Bucks, Bulls, and Pelicans.”
“It seems more likely than not right now that Mathurin will be back in LA.”
“As far as Mathurin goes, LA does have interest in bringing him back, and that has been the message from the team since free agency began… At
Bennedict Mathurin Has Been An Effective Offensive Player With The Los Angeles Clippers
GettyINGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 15: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors falls on the floor with the ball against Bennedict Mathurin #9 and Kris Dunn #8 of the Los Angeles Clippers in the second half of an NBA play-in tournament game at Intuit Dome on April 15, 2026 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
After being acquired at the 2026 trade deadline from the Indiana Pacers, Mathurin averaged 17.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 26 regular-season appearances for the Los Angeles Clippers. His standout performance was a 38-point home debut against the Denver Nuggets.
Mathurin was a productive bench player for the Pacers during their spirited 2025 NBA playoff run, which saw them reach Game 7 of the NBA Finals only to lose to the eventual NBA champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Mathurin is reportedly seeking a deal averaging around $15 million annually. Because teams lack the outright cap space to sign him at that figure, any move to a new team would require a sign-and-trade.
Signing Mathurin makes sense for the Clippers because the 24-year-old wing provides valuable youth, elite rim pressure, high-level scoring, and strong rebounding, aligning with their pivot toward a younger core.
Mathurin slots in as the primary high-usage, sixth-man spark plug in Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue’s rotation, anchoring the second unit alongside the likes of Kris Dunn. Mathurin would also serve as insurance for older or injury-prone perimeter players like Bradley Beal and Brandon Ingram, who was the Clippers’ biggest asset in the Kawhi Leonard trade with the Toronto Raptors.
Teams That Are Interested In Getting Bennedict Mathurin This Offseason
GettyINGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 13: Bennedict Mathurin #9 of the Los Angeles Clippers handles the ball against Leonard Miller #11 of the Chicago Bulls during the second half at Intuit Dome on March 13, 2026 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Melina Pizano/Getty Images)
There are other teams that are interested in getting Bennedict Mathurin this offseason.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, these teams are the Chicago Bulls, the New Orleans Pelicans, the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Clippers.
His representatives have maintained dialogue with the Pelicans, Bulls, and Bucks regarding potential sign-and-trade scenarios or offer frameworks.
Mathurin’s former contract was his standard four-year, $29 million rookie-scale contract signed with the Indiana Pacers after being drafted sixth overall in the 2022 NBA Draft. It carried an average annual salary of $7,484,043 through the 2025-2026 season.
Now, Mathurin is looking to cash in on his production during the past four seasons, which saw him evolve from a raw offensive prospect to a solid two-way player who could boost any championship-contending team.
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