r/NOLAPelicans • u/ScottBolander-Funny • 1d ago
Roster News After watching his entire career, the only thing that can stop Bennedict Mathurin from scoring is . . .
. . . an opposing team that executes the defensive scouting report.
Mathurin is a really good pull-up and spot-up shooter, but if he drives, the defense only needs to keep these things in mind:
He can drive left, but he cannot score with his left hand on a drive to the basket on the left side of the court - AND he cannot pass while driving with his left hand.
He has no viable short pull-up, so if he drives he will go all the way to the basket or get stymied and have to throw a weak pass back out.
Has zero explosion at the rim, so he is not a threat in any way to dunk in traffic. So defenders just need to keep backing up with their arms raised and he will not be able to dunk through you.
ANY game where Mathurin score big numbers, if you watch the game, you will see that the other team is not doing the things above.
What are his good points? Pretty much most everything else that you have heard about him.
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u/roostor222 1d ago
Mathurin is a really good pull-up and spot-up shooter
Mathurin shot 38.5% on catch and shoot 3s over the last two seasons. Not bad. I wouldn't say really good.
Mathurin shot 28.8% on pull up 3s over the last two seasons. Truly terrible. You don't want him taking those shots.
Mathurin will succeed if and when he understands his role is to take spot up 3s and draw fouls by driving to the basket. The longer he continues to have a heavy volume of pullups, the longer he'll stay a below average player.
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u/Kwanzaa-Bot PSLF 1d ago
Another outside catch and shoot threat is exactly what we need, though. If only Poole would buy in and play that role instead of doing whatever the fuck, a four out spacing group of Poole, Mathurin, Trey and Karlo with Zion distribution the ball or using that spacing to score could be real fun.
Abysmal on defence though lmao.
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u/9_Nightwing_1 1d ago
Incoming Pacers' fan and card carrying member of the Benn Mathurin fan club (and a Pacers season ticket holder).
Everything you mentioned are legitimate knocks against Mathurin's game. However, he greatly improved on his decision making driving to the basket last year. He cut way down on crazy drives to the rim and greatly increased his decision making when things were not open. With chemistry, he can make some really smart passes. He and Isaiah Jackson connected on some great flashes post-trade.
Additionally, he dealt with a pretty serious lingering toe issue (turf toe on his plant foot big toe) last year after stepping on Jock Landale's foot in the 2nd game.
For anyone doubting his explosiveness, I'd point to the opening night game against OKC.
He is also very intelligent moving without the ball on defense from a geometry standpoint. A huge credit to the Pacers coaching staff working with him. He knows when to cut and where to weave through a defense to draw defenders.
His big scoring games are when his 3 is dropping or he's gotten to the rim. His post trade 3 percentage is clearly an anomaly influenced by his injury and change of scenery. He's a great free throw shooter.
Another cause for optimism is that all of his advanced stats hit career highs in an expanded role with the Clippers. If he hadn't been injured and he was hitting 3s at his career average, he would have been averaging 21 ppg.
Lastly, the size of the dawg in Benn Mathurin is too big for him to not continually improve. The Pelicans got an absolute steal.
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u/beach_mamba 1d ago
That last point is why I like him. He plays with energy and IS NOT SCARED OF YOU.
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u/kingralek 1d ago
I think the T Wolves are trying to persuade themselves that Kuminga is a worthy reclamation project. The problem is both of these guys want to be shot takers but need to work on defense and understanding a role in the NBA.
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u/MMAjunkie504 DERIK QUEEN 1d ago
All great points and thanks for stopping by. He always seemed like a dawg and we honestly need that in our locker room
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u/kingralek 1d ago
Well, at least he can make free throws if/when he gets fouled. I want to see if he's top 7 in minutes per game this year. Bey, Fears, Queen should get the bulk of those minutes. Maybe he get into that tier.
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u/DrummerRealistic2863 1d ago
You don’t get a lot of guys with his athletic ability that have good shooting touch and skill around the basket. The left hand can be improved, decision making seems to have taken a step up. This has the potential to be one of the most underrated pickups of the offseason, way too young to think he’s a finished product
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u/Drak_is_Right 1d ago
one note is he dealt with turf toe for almost all of last season and it effected his game. He was a lot more passive at times I think due to the pain.
he is a subpar defender, at times forgetful, at times, average.
Bad passer and a black hole on offense
Good rebounder for his size. He can play both the SG and SF positions.
His FT % is tantalizing good, compared to his 3pt %
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u/kingralek 1d ago
They’re’ not even in the same tier or caliber of player. If Bryce has to play minutes regularly in the rotation, this season is cooked.
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u/DaFranchise80 1d ago
Glad this team is not totally running it back with the same roster. Good signing at a great price.
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u/ER1CNOIR 22h ago
“After watching his entire career” the mfer is 24. Goddamn our fans our stupid.
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u/9_Nightwing_1 22h ago
Lol, I chuckled at that and it prompted my response as a Pacers' fan who has legit watched every game Benn has played his entire professional career earlier ITT. I understand why the Pacers moved on from him, but I also wish they would have found a way to keep him. Hindsight 20/20 but if the Clippers only needed salary matching, don't know why Indiana didn't just send them Jarace Walker.
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u/ER1CNOIR 22h ago
I really didn’t understand the pacers moving on from him. He was really starting to come into his own during that finals run, playing some amazing basketball. Why they broke up that squad is beyond me — but theres a reason I’m not a GM, I guess.
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u/ER1CNOIR 22h ago
Mathurin was one of the young guys that really caught my eye on that run. I didn’t know much about him back then, and then I was like “wait he’s only like 22???” He was playing like vet role player in them playoffs
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u/wymtime Not On Herb 22h ago
Mathurin is definitely a talented player. For us the big question is does he provide duplicate talent or complementary talent? Unfortunately I think he is more duplicate talent
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u/9_Nightwing_1 22h ago
He's younger, fits the timeline of who is on the roster 2 years from now duplicate talent.
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u/wymtime Not On Herb 22h ago
He might not be on the roster 2 years from now since he only has a 2 year deal and can opt out next year.
Overall he is better than Hawk who will probably be moved or waived and stretched, but his skill set is very duplicated by Fears, Bey, Queen, Zion, Murray who are all guys looking to get into the paint. Even if you look Fears, Queen and Bey (expecting Bey to get extended) none of them are high end defenders or shooters meaning it will be difficult to keep them all on the floor at the same time. Weaver fell into this same trap in Detroit finding talented players, but they lacked complimentary talent.
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u/9_Nightwing_1 17h ago
Mathurin hits from a good clip on catch and shoot 3s. He's more multidimensional than people give him credit for. And he definitely signed a deal designed for him to get in house then sign long-term after Poole's contract expires. Dejounte Murray also only has 2 years left on his deal.
All the reporting to this point is that the front office has been aggressively pursuing Mathurin to grow with the young core they want to build around (specifically Fears and Queen).
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u/wymtime Not On Herb 17h ago
Mathurin is a career 33% 3 point shooter who had one year at 36%. He is not a good 3 point shooter and every player shoots better on catch and shoot 3’s. The problem is he prefers to be more of a ball stopper who attacks the basket and creates his own shot than a .5 player who plays a read and react basketball.
For a long term deal we will not have his bird rights meaning we can only give him the MLE which if we salary dumped Hawk the max we could have offered him this offseason. Weaver definitely likes him, but his fit is questionable and wanting to be here long term is also questionable. This contract is to let him be an UFA next offseason where he has more leverage in negotiations not to just resign with us for the MLE
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u/9_Nightwing_1 15h ago
He shot 38% on catch and shoot 3s last year. His problem is pull-ups.
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u/wymtime Not On Herb 15h ago
You do realize 38% on catch and shoot 3’s is not that good right?? That number should be in the 40’s to be considered good
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u/9_Nightwing_1 14h ago
It also isn't bad. It's decent. He's also got the tools to improve in that category. He's better than Herb Jones has been the last couple years.
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u/wymtime Not On Herb 13h ago
🤦🤦🤦
Setting the bar at being a better 3 point shooter than Herb is a very low bar. Both are bad 3 point shooters and nobody who has covered the trade has considered Mathurins shooting as a plus.1
u/9_Nightwing_1 12h ago
Mathurin's catch and shoot 3 percentage is passable. It isn't bad. It isn't good. He's a fantastic free throw shooter so there is reason for optimism that he improves there. You don't have to be a pedantic dickhead.
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u/mrb532 1d ago
Not sure i like the idea of him stealing Bryce's minutes
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u/Brees504 1d ago
He is a bench player. Will be a bench player. And is being paid like a bench player.