Pelicans Sign Mathurin to $16 Million Deal

New Orleans agreed to a two-year, $16 million deal with Bennedict Mathurin on Tuesday, including a player option — the largest free-agent commitment the Pelicans have made this offseason. Mathurin has averaged 16.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game across four NBA seasons, and he gives the Pelicans a wing with size and perimeter athleticism they were shopping for.

The fit makes sense on paper. This team finished 26-56 last season with plenty of scoring — Murphy, Zion, and Bey all topped 17 points per game — but the defense fell apart down the stretch, surrendering 126.3 points per game over the final 10 contests. The front office's read, apparently, is that more athletic perimeter players can help contain those breakdowns. Mathurin is that kind of addition: long, active, capable of guarding multiple spots.

Whether that logic holds is the question for next season. The Watford signing two weeks ago was depth-filling; this one is a genuine roster bet. At $8 million a year for a player with a player option, New Orleans is wagering that Mathurin's athleticism translates to the defensive end in ways his Indiana years didn't always show. That's worth watching when training camp opens.