The Chicago Bulls' pursuit of the former Los Angeles Clippers and Indiana Pacers' guard might not be over.
The Chicago Bulls missed out on a chance to add Los Angeles Clippers guard Bennedict Mathurin on Wednesday as Mathurin signed with the New Orleans Pelicans on a two-year, $16 million deal.
The Bulls had been linked to the Clippers guard for weeks and had aggressively attempted to sign him.
Following the big news, NBA insider Shams Charania revealed why Mathurin could be a free agent next summer, a scenario that could significantly increase the Bulls' odds to acquire him.
Apr 12, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Bennedict Mathurin(9) moves in for the dunk against Golden State Warriors guard De'anthony Melton (8) during the second half at Intuit Dome. Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Mathurin Prioritized Flexibility in Latest Move
The Mathurin signing happened as part of a series of events giving the former Clippers guard more flexibility to hit the market as an unrestricted free agent after this season according to a report from NBA insider Shams Charania of ESPN.
"Bennedict Mathurin has agreed to a two-year, $16 million deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, including a player option, sources tell ESPN," Charania said Wednesday morning.
Mathurin and his representatives made it a point to seek a deal for the 2026-27 season that would allow freedom in future negotiations, according to Charania's report.
"Mathurin's reps approached the Clippers about withdrawing his $8.8M qualifying offer, effectively turning the QO into a more favorable situation in New Orleans with added security," Charania wrote.
"Mathurin prioritized flexibility and the earliest path to unrestricted free agency next summer versus longer term offers with larger total commitments but greater team control," he added.
The Bulls are expected to have a significant amount of salary cap space heading into the 2027 offseason which could make them one of the favorites to land the former Clippers and Pacers guard should he opt to become an unrestricted free agent.
Bulls Move Forward Without Mathurin
The Bulls' backcourt depth won't be the same without their high priority free agent target, but Chicago's starting duo of Josh Giddey and Norman Powell is expected to be perform well this season.
Giddey averaged a career-high 9.1 assists last season with the Bulls while also scoring a career-high 17 points per game in 54 games.
His new backcourt mate Powell came over from Miami this offseason and also had a career year in 2025-26, making his first-ever NBA All-Star Game while averaging 21.7 points per game, .1 less than his career high.
How Giddey and Powell learn each other's tendencies and play off of each other will be one of the biggest storylines to watch this season as the Bulls prepare to move forward under new coach Tiago Splitter.
They will do so without Mathurin's services for the time being, but don't be surprised if Chicago continues to keep tabs on him with an eye on a potential future acquisition.
