The New Orleans Pelicans are way too talented to be sitting at the bottom of the Western Conference standings. Yet, at 10-34, that’s exactly where they are. To be fair, there are certain circumstances that have been beyond their control, such as injuries. At the same time, when teams like the Boston Celtics are excelling despite missing Jayson Tatum, it’s difficult to use that as a one-size-fits-all excuse.
Bearing that in mind, the Pelicans front office has been active ahead of the trade deadline. They may not have the appetite to stomach a blockbuster deal that would make an in-conference rival better. However, they could be prepared to make a smaller splash by completing a trade with a team in the East. To that point, the Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls “are two teams to monitor” as trade partners, as they have eyes for 2024 No. 21 pick Yves Missi.
Intriguingly, “there is believed to be more traction” for a trade with the Pacers — one that would involve 2022 No. 6 pick Bennedict Mathurin.
Bennedict Mathurin Would Be Post-Trade Culture-Setter For Pelicans
Missi ($3.3 million) makes about $5.8 million less than Mathurin ($9.1 million) in 2025-26. Therefore, the Pacers and Pelicans can’t trade these players for each other straight-up, even if they wanted to. As a hard-capped first apron team, New Orleans would have to shed at least $2.2 million in salary. This would allow them to remain below the hard cap, making the trade legal.
Consequently, the framework for a trade between the Pacers and the Pelicans that features Missi and Mathurin has to include another player. Candidates include DeAndre Jordan ($2.2 million), Jose Alvarado ($4.5 million), Jordan Hawkins ($4.7 million) and Saddiq Bey ($6.1 million). New Orleans could even consider combining the salaries of Micah Peavy ($1.2 million) and Karlo Matkovic ($1.9 million).
What Will It Take?
Considering their team needs, Indiana may prefer a package of Missi and Hawkins.
In Missi, they’d acquire a potential franchise center. The 21-year-old’s youth, athleticism and defensive instincts are ideal for a fast-paced team led by a true point guard in his mid-20s. In Hawkins, they would land a 23-year-old wing who made 37.6% of his 3s in college and 36.6% of his 3s as a rookie. Notably, Afseth pinpointed the UConn product as a player “to watch” on the trade market.
If this is all New Orleans has to give up for Mathurin, they should jump on it like hot gumbo.
What Bennedict Mathurin Would Bring To The Pelicans
The Pelicans rank 20th in points per game (115.0) but second in 2-point attempts per game (59.2).
Mathurin’s a perfect player for the N.O. in that he’s a scoring-minded wing who excels at getting downhill both in the halfcourt and fullcourt, as a driver or cutter. This season, he’s averaging 17.8 points per game with 29.5% of his points coming in the paint. Looking across his four-year career, 42.9% of his points were scored in the paint as a rookie, 36.3% of his points were scored in the paint as a sophomore, and 43.8% of his points were scored in the paint last season.
Dashing to the rim isn’t all Mathurin is good for though. He’s currently shooting 36.6 percent from 3, his second season shooting at least 36 percent from beyond the arc. With hard coaching, he’s also taken strides as a decision-maker, defender and glass cleaner since being drafted. Indeed, the 23-year-old’s averaging career-highs in scoring, rebounds (5.5 per game) and potential assists (4.5 per game) this season.
Start Him Or Bring Him Off The Bench?
With the way that New Orleans’s roster is set up, Mathurin may actually start for the Pelicans.
Their projected first unit is the untouchable quintet of Jeremiah Fears, Herb Jones, Trey Murphy III, Zion Williamson, and Derik Queen. As Jones is the team’s top perimeter and Murphy often displays All-Star potential, their wings are seemingly firmly entrenched in the first unit. Yet, Jones is having a rough go of it offensively in 2025-26. After 23 games, he’s shooting under 40 percent from the field and 34 percent from 3 while averaging under 10 points per game.
Swapping Jones out for Mathurin could be a great way for them to elevate their starter’s ceiling. After all, the Pelicans’ starting unit ranks 21st in points per game (76.8).
Of course, Mathurin could always come off the bench in a sixth man role. He’s certainly a definitive upgrade from Hawkins. That’s a low bar, with Hawkins averaging under 5.0 points per game and shooting under 40 percent from the field. Even so, there’s a stark contrast between those two coming off the bench due to Hawkins’s deficient scoring.
It’s Not Just About What He Provides On The Court
Though there’s a tangible on-court benefit to trading for Mathurin, he has the type of personality that will help bring the best out of the team as well. His brash confidence could rub some people the wrong way but his moxie is a characteristic that every Pelicans player should embody.
Frankly, if you take away the antics, it isn’t difficult to see the difference between him and Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks. For reference, since his time with the Houston Rockets, Brooks has been considered one of the league’s culture-setters. His intensity, attentiveness and work ethic are all symptoms of how much he cares about winning and being the best player he can be. For young teams in particular, that’s the type of leadership that needs to be seen.
That being said, the player New Orleans wanted to be their leader isn’t suited for that. Williamson is undoubtedly among the most gifted players in the NBA but he lacks discipline. Instead of his teammates seeing him giving it all he has, they watch him fall out of shape and out of line. Unfortunately, none of the Pelicans’ players have seriously taken the reins from Williamson in terms of being the guy other players can look to.
Through sheer force of personality, Mathurin just might.
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