NBA Trade Rumors: The Indiana Pacers could make a surprising and unexpected move at the trade deadline.
Since December 13, the Indiana Pacers have looked like a completely different team. After starting the season on the wrong foot, the Pacers have the fourth-best record in the NBA over the past six weeks. Indiana has gone 16-5 in their last 21 games and has climbed all the way up to the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference standings. Just past the midway point of the season, the Pacers are just a half-game out of the fourth seed and four games (in the loss column) back of the third seed.
With the NBA Trade Deadline one week away, the team's recent play does open the door for the Pacers to make a significant win-now move. However, according to a recent report from the LA Times, there's a small chance the Pacers could make a completely difference move at the trade deadline which would involve moving on from Bennedict Mathurin.
In his third season with the Pacers, Mathurin is averaging 16 points and six rebounds on 47 percent shooting from the field and 36 percent shooting from 3-point range. He's also started 39 of the 44 games he's appeared in so far this year for Indiana. If the Pacers get to the point where they'd be open to moving on from the young wing, you'd have to imagine that it would have to be in the way of a huge offer.
The asking price for Bennedict Mathurin must be through the roof
With the way the team has been playing of late, it would come as a huge surprise to see Indiana move on from Mathurin. Sure, they already have to start thinking about what an extension for Mathurin could look like but even that could be considered a bit premature. Even in his third season with the team, it would be difficult to gauge his value on the open market. Would that push the Pacers to entertain the option of trading him? Maybe. But, again, it'd take a huge offer.
If the Pacers were to be moved by an offer, it'd probably begin with a lottery pick and perhaps a veteran player who could potentially play a role for the team right now. Short of that offer coming across the table, it's pretty safe to assume that the Pacers aren't going to make a rash move and trade Mathurin at the deadline.
Depending on how the remainder of the season plays out, there's at least a chance that the tune begins to change during the offseason. If nothing else, Mathurin is one more name to keep a close eye on heading into the NBA Trade Deadline.