Pelicans projected lineup and rotation after signing Bennedict Mathurin

Bennedict Mathurin's long wait has ended, as the talented swingman is signing a two-year, $16 million contract with the New Orleans Pelicans, per ESPN's Shams Charania. The deal includes a player option, with Mathurin passing on more lucrative, long-term offers in order to reach free agency against next summer, hoping for a bigger payday.

Mathurin split last season between Indiana and Los Angeles, dealt to the Clippers at the deadline in the Ivica Zubac trade. He averaged 17.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists on the campaign, with .430/.315/.869 splits. Mathurin was a free agent, but he approached the Clippers about facilitating his exit from the organization, rather than L.A. matching his contract. Let's dive into what this looks like for New Orleans.

Pelicans projected lineup and rotation with Bennedict Mathurin

New Orleans could go a few different directions here. There's a small-ball option, swapping out Yves Missi or Saddiq Bey to maximize the spacing around Zion Williamson. More realistically, we could see the Pelicans start second-year big Derik Queen instead, as he feels more foundational to their future than Missi at this point.

In the end, however, Missi's rim protection is important for this team and the Pelicans will at least pretend to care about winning in a season where the most losses actually hurts your lottery odds. When healthy, Zion can still have New Orleans looking semi-competent.

The Pelicans, if nothing else, go about nine- or 10-deep in terms of legitimately compelling and intriguing players. Jeremiah Fears was inefficient, as most rookie guards are, but he has real star potential with his shiftiness and shot-making. Queen is a funky, fun playmaking hub in the frontcourt, while Bey looked the part of a legitimate starting-caliber wing for much of last season. Now, Mathurin joins as the presumptive sixth man. Mathurin can get tunnel vision at times, but he's a genuinely prolific slasher who can get extremely hot.

Karlo Matković deserves a shout as a floor-spacing big who made a positive impact in limited minutes last season. The Pelicans also still have Jordan Poole on the roster. His contract and overall stature alone may necessitate minutes, but it's hard to envision a successful role for him with Fears, Murray and now Mathurin on the roster, not to mention New Orleans' more well-rounded, two-way wings.

What is the ceiling for Bennedict Mathurin and the Pelicans?

Mathurin didn't play a ton of super competitive basketball last season, so it's easy to forget that he was swinging Finals games for the Pacers less than two years ago. Mathurin's single-minded approach can be frustrating and at times unproductive, but he's an explosive athlete and a legitimately gifted scorer. This is also a home run of a contract, especially since the Pels are plucking him from restricted free agency without forking over a player or picks to Los Angeles.

The Clippers got their big prize from the Zubac trade — No. 5 overall pick Keaton Wagler — but letting Mathurin walk for such a modest sum, which he was a major piece of their return package, is worth questioning. From both sides, really. Why did L.A. let him go? And are the Pelicans the right team to take advantage for an unexpected advantage?

The answer to that second question might be "no," unfortunately. And therein lies the major concern here. The Pelicans front office under Joe Dumars has been a series of misfires. Queen and Fears were solid picks, but they don't complement each other well, nor is this roster free of Zion's looming influence. This is still Williamson's team until his contract expires or New Orleans makes a concerted effort to trade him. Williamson is basically a point forward; he needs the ball in his hands and a spaced-out floor. We can thing question the Murray acquisition from a couple years ago, which has aged like milk. The Pelicans don't necessarily lack talent, but stacking talent does not matter if the pieces do not fit.

In the end, the Pelicans will almost certainly end up as one of the worst teams in the NBA — again. Mathurin, individually, however, should be set up for plenty of minutes and plenty of shots. He will put up numbers and, if all goes well, put himself in position for a better contract (hopefully from a better team) next summer.

With Trey Murphy and Herb Jones so involved in trade rumors this summer, it's also worth imagining what happens next, should New Orleans initiate a teardown. That would only funnel more touches in Mathurin's direction. Or, if he performs well, he could end up as a valuable trade piece himself at the deadline, with plenty of contenders hoping to secure extra scoring for their second units.

If Zion is healthy, the Pelicans can approach a baseline respectability on the court. He played 62 games last season, to his credit, and it feels like Williamson has committed to his health more fervently in the past year.

That said, it's unclear if Dumars actually views this as the long-term rebuild it is, and the NBA's new anti-tanking laws will at least incentivize New Orleans to sprint through the finish line. That is the case for all 30 teams, however, and the Pelicans just don't stack up favorably with most of them. So, even if the Pelicans are more watchable on a night-to-night basis, and even if Mathurin is a typhoon off the bench, New Orleans may still end up wondering which pieces to flip at the deadline. The Pelicans a longtime fans of Mathurin, per ESPN, but this was a decision rooted in his own long-term financial interests and flexibility. Not on trying to win a championship or ensure stability.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow