Lawrence Frank Comments on Bennedict Mathurin’s Pending Free Agency

Bennedict Mathurin gave the Los Angeles Clippers a glimpse of something real this season. Now, LA has to decide how much that glimpse is worth. At Friday's end-of-season media availability, president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank addressed the 23-year-old's upcoming restricted free agency. 

"He's a restricted free agent, so we have the right to match any offer. But I think Benn did a lot of good. Obviously as a young player, there's a lot of improvement that can be made and as we've seen here both with current players and guys that had played here, guys make huge gains." The Clippers clearly see a long-term vision here. 

"At 23, some of the weaknesses that Benn has, he's going to get incrementally better at those things because he's a worker. I think he has good DNA, and with free agency, he's a restricted free agent so we have the right to match and at the appropriate time, can we find a deal that works for both sides and that's how it's supposed to work." 

It sounds like the organization believes he can continue to level up with time, and they're going to give themselves time to be able to see that unfold. "Not just with Benn, but with John [Collins] and anyone else. There's two sides to it and it has to make sense for both sides."

Frank didn't commit to anything. He didn't need to. That's the whole advantage of restricted free agency, and he knows how to use it.

Everyone wanted to see what Mathurin could do in a fresh environment after Indiana moved on from him at the deadline. In 26 games with the Clippers, he averaged 17.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.0 steal per game, all while coming off the bench in 25 of those appearances. 

He dealt with nagging injuries all season long, and by the time he got to LA, he was working through a toe issue that had lingered since the second game of the year. That's a tough context to evaluate anyone in. You're watching a 23-year-old play through real pain on a new team in a new city.

Along with that, it's with the pressure of proving himself ahead of a contract year. The moments where he looked elite were genuinely exciting. The moments where he looked lost were genuinely concerning. Both things are true, and Frank acknowledged as much without saying either one directly.

What makes Mathurin's case interesting is that restricted free agency actually takes the pressure off LA to rush. They don't have to outbid anyone upfront. They can let the market speak and respond accordingly. That setup benefits patient front offices, and patient is exactly what Frank has always been.

The Clippers hold all the leverage here. They can match any offer that comes Mathurin's way, take their time, and let the market set the price. Frank's framing of the situation alongside John Collins tells you this isn't a panic decision on either player. It's a process, and this front office trusts the process more than most.

Mathurin is young enough that his floor and ceiling are both still moving. His best game as a Clipper was a 38-point explosion against Denver right after the All-Star break. His worst stretches showed a player who still relies too heavily on volume scoring and foul-drawing to generate offense.

The Clippers saw both versions. Whether the good outweighs the bad enough to commit long-term money is the real question this summer. Frank's answer Friday suggested they're open to it, just not at any price.