Pacers’ Myles Turner issues 3-word warning after Bennedict Mathurin eruption

,” Turner wrote on his official account on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The 2023-24 season, in some ways, was an improvement for Mathurin. He was more efficient when it came to scoring from the field, although he did lose some of his scoring value as he got to the foul line less often than he did in his rookie campaign. But perhaps Year 3 will finally be the Pacers guard’s true breakout season.

The Pacers, after all, traded away Buddy Hield last season as they looked to open up more minutes for Mathurin. It was unfortunate that Mathurin sustained a season-ending injury that prevented him from seizing that opportunity with open arms, but at the very least, he can now show that a delay does not necessarily mean a denial.

Can Bennedict Mathurin stand out in a crowded Pacers backcourt?

While Bennedict Mathurin was on the mend following surgery to repair his injured shoulder, the Pacers stumbled upon a winning formula. They started Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith on the wing, and Nembhard, in particular, showed some incredible defensive workrate as well as an ability to create and make difficult shots off the dribble that kept the Pacers’ offense alive even as Tyrese Haliburton suffered a season-ending injury during their ECF clash against the Boston Celtics.

From the looks of everything, the Pacers will be rolling with the same starting lineup that they had in the playoffs, which means that Mathurin will have to come off the bench, at least to start next season. He is also doing his part to make sure that he’s one of the first names head coach Rick Carlisle calls upon whenever the starters need rest.

Mathurin appears to be a better fit off the bench anyway; Haliburton and Pascal Siakam command their fair share of touches, which may relegate Mathurin to more of a spectator role on offense. Mathurin is at his best when he can create offense for himself, and playing a featured role off the bench may be the Pacers’ key to getting the best out of him. But at the end of the day, he’s only 22 years of age, making it likely that he takes a leap in his third professional season.