Here are three reasons why Los Angeles Clippers free agent Bennedict Mathurin does not make sense for the New Orleans Pelicans.
The latest player that the New Orleans Pelicans have been connected to this offseason is Los Angeles Clippers restricted free agent guard Bennedict Mathurin, as the two parties have reportedly connected recently.
The Pelicans haven't really done anything to improve their team this offseason outside of a coaching change and hoping for development. Mathurin isn't a perfect answer for their woes, but he would at least be interesting.
On Wednesday, Pelicans Roundtable went over the positives to pursuing this move. He is a proven scorer, a positive rebounder and does offer more for the future than the current guard depth on the team.
There is a reason that the reaction around the potential move from the fan base hasn't been great. To acknowledge some of down sides to the possible addition, here are some negatives to the idea:
Not A Proven Floor Spacer
If the next player that New Orleans adds to their roster isn't someone who can shoot the three-ball well, then they will have made a massive mistake somewhere in team-building. They were one of the weakest teams in the league last season and clearly haven't done much to remedy that this offseason.
While Mathurin is talented at putting up points, he's not a reliable shooter, making him questionable for what the Pelicans need out of a potential offensive sparkplug off the bench.
Hasn't Reached Defensive Potential
The main thing that New Orleans set out to do with this new coaching staff, and even the front office, is implement a culture of defense. Jamahl Mosley wants his team to play well on at least one side of the ball. Mathurin has seen inconsistent defense results and has a reputation as a poor defender.
The wing should have a higher defensive ceiling than what has been seen so far in his career. He's a great athlete and should be able to defend other guards, but he hasn't been known to have the highest basketball awareness and tends to get lost on defense (and sometimes on offense).
Money Could Be Used Elsewhere
The Pelicans simply don't have much money to work with this offseason. They have to be smart about what they use what they do have on. Would it smart to spend what limited capital they have on a player who might be good in the long run, but doesn't have an immediate fit on the roster when they're trying to compete? Probably not. If getting Mathurin means they can't get a more proven shooter/defender to go along with him, they might want to think twice about the deal.
