After an incredible run to the NBA Finals, next season could be a gap year for the Indiana Pacers. All may not be lost; however, there is still plenty to look forward to for Pacers fans.
Coach Rick Carlisle confirmed as much during a recent interview with Caitlin Cooper. He casually mentioned that former seventh overall pick Bennedict Mathurin will start for them next season. That could prove to be a huge deal.
This year, with him as a starter on day one, this is his job to lose,” Carlisle said about Mathurin.
With star Tyrese Haliburton out for all of next season, many Pacers fans hoped that Carlisle would start Mathurin. After all, the Pacers are likely to take a step back next season without their best player.
But if Mathurin can take a big leap in his development, it would take the sting out of what is sure to be a letdown of a 2025-26 season. That’s considering they came within a game of the championship this year.
Bennedict Mathurin starting is exactly what the Pacers need
Mathurin clearly has the talent and confidence to be a star, but his consistency can leave a lot to be desired. In the NBA Finals, he poured in 27 points off the bench in Game 3, helping the Pacers take a series lead over an Oklahoma City Thunder team many claimed was far better.
Then, in Game 4, he made a series of boneheaded mistakes, which helped cost them an almost insurmountable 3-1 lead. Young players often have boom or bust games like that, and having it happen in the Finals amplified that. Hopefully, for the Pacers’ sake, it will also serve as the catalyst for Mathurin to put it all together.
A potential starting lineup of Andre Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Mathurin, Pascal Siakam, and a big question mark at center could at least be passable. Especially in the wasteland that is the Eastern Conference, which has taken a big step down in terms of talent.
Mathurin seems on the verge of breaking out and just needs the opportunity to play significant minutes. He averaged 16.1 points in nearly 30 minutes per game as a part-time starter last season and will be tasked with picking up the offensive slack in Haliburton’s absence.
The obvious best-case scenario is that he thrives in a bigger role, emerging as a consistent 20-point-per-game weapon. That, when paired with a healthy Haliburton and Siakam in 2026-27, has more than enough firepower to carry the Pacers back to the NBA Finals. The only way to find out if that can happen is to feature him next season, and Carlisle appears eager to do so.
