Despite a successful season behind them, the Indiana Pacers find themselves in a not-so-desirable situation ahead of the 2025-26 campaign. Usually, after an NBA Finals appearance, optimism within the locker room is at an all-time high. Unfortunately, their superstar point guard, Tyrese Haliburton, will miss the entire year while rehabbing a torn Achilles. To make matters worse, their longtime defensive anchor, Myles Turner just left the team in free agency to join a divisional rival in the Milwaukee Bucks.
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After forcing a Game 7 against the eventual NBA champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, Indiana is hence expecting to endure a down year. The absence of Haliburton will force other players to step up to the plate though. Head coach Rick Carlisle recently revealed who that player will be.
“I’m projecting [Bennedict Mathurin] as our starter at two this year,” Carlisle said in an interview with Caitlin Cooper. “I said, ‘You’re gonna be with the starters on Day 1. It’s your job to lose.'”
This is an opportunity that Mathurin has waited quite some time for. Through his first three years in the NBA, he has started during certain stretches, but hasn’t held the role on a full-time basis. This past season was the largest sample size of Mathurin as a starter.
The 6-foot-6 wing started in 49 games during the 2024-25 season. A large reason Mathurin found himself with the starting group was due to Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith missing time with injuries.
In those games, Mathurin averaged 16.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists. Evidently, scoring has never been an issue for him. Carlisle realized his skill in that department since his rookie season.
“He is a guy that is just a natural scorer,” Carlisle proclaimed. “That guy’s going to find 18 points, and he’s going to shoot seven free throws. The pure elements of passing and making quick decisions are things that he is gradually getting.”
Scoring isn’t everything in the NBA and that is the next step in Mathurin’s development. Carlisle and the Pacers don’t want the 23-year-old to be a one-dimensional player.
Haliburton won’t be there to set the table for everyone on the court. They will need to replace his production by committee. Mathurin hasn’t averaged more than 2 assists yet in his career, which they aren’t going to let slide. It may be a difficult path, but Carlisle understands it doesn’t fall solely on Mathurin’s shoulders.
“Ben Mathurin is going to get there. Our job as coaches is to meld guys like him that aren’t necessarily seamless fits into a style that is effective for the rest of the guys,” Carlisle said.
This will be a great time for Mathurin to prove his worth the the Pacers. Following this season, he will be a restricted free agent. Depending on how he performs, it could make a major difference in the amount of money he receives from the team. It will also provide Indiana with more clarity on where he fits in their future plans for the roster.
