The Clippers Can't Afford Another SGA Mistake With Bennedict Mathurin
The last time the Los Angeles Clippers bet against a young guard with star upside, it aged about as poorly as any decision in NBA history.
Back in 2019, the Clippers shipped Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to the Oklahoma City Thunder as part of the blockbuster deal for Paul George.
At the time, it was justified as a win-now move. In hindsight, it's become one of the worst trades of the past decade.
Gilgeous-Alexander has since blossomed into arguably the best player in basketball-an MVP winner who just led the Thunder to their first NBA title and is now tracking toward another.
George, meanwhile, is 35, coming off two of the least productive scoring seasons of his career, and no longer even in Los Angeles.
And that’s exactly why the Clippers can't afford to let Bennedict Mathurin walk this summer.
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Mathurin arrived in L.A. at the 2026 trade deadline in the middle of a career year with the Indiana Pacers, averaging 17.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists across 28 games (24 starts) before the deal.
After the move, nothing really changed.
In 26 games with the Clippers, Mathurin still put up 17.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, and a career-high 2.5 assists in just 28.0 minutes per night, thriving in a sixth-man role while flashing clear starter upside.
More importantly, the production wasn't empty calories. He dropped 38 in his home debut against Denver on February 19, took over in key late-season stretches, and even added 23 points in a narrow play-in loss to the Warriors.
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Why the SGA Comparison Isn't as Crazy as It Sounds
Comparing Mathurin to Gilgeous-Alexander purely as players misses the bigger point. This is about archetypes and timelines.
SGA was young (20 at the time of the trade) and productive but not yet elite (averaging 10.8 points, 3.3 assists, and 2.8 rebounds in 26.5 minutes per game), but also clearly capable of more with expanded usage.
Mathurin checks those same boxes.
At just 23 years old, he's already a three-level scorer with explosive athleticism, a strong frame, and improving shot creation.
His downhill game, body control, and ability to generate contact feel reminiscent of a younger, slightly smaller version of Anthony Edwards.
And like SGA in 2019, Mathurin hasn't fully been handed the keys yet.
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Mathurin's development curve suggests another leap is coming, which is exactly why the Clippers need to lock him up now.
He's entering restricted free agency for the first time, and young, productive wings with this kind of upside rarely make it to the market.
Expect teams to line up with aggressive offers in the $20–30 million annually range, especially with the rising cap and league-wide demand for high-upside perimeter scorers.
That puts Mathurin in a tier with ascending young talents, players who haven't fully broken out yet, but are clearly trending toward it.
Just last year, Nickeil Alexander-Walker (SGA’s cousin) landed a four-year, $60.6 million deal with the Atlanta Hawks after spending most of his career in a reserve role and never averaging more than 13 points per game.
One season later, he broke out, averaging a career-high 20.8 points while starting 71 games and helping push Atlanta into the playoffs.
Similarly, Josh Giddey signed a four-year, $100 million contract with the Chicago Bulls last summer after his rookie deal expired, and he just enjoyed the best year of his young career.
Giddey averaged a career-high 17.0 points, 9.1 assists, and 8.3 rebounds in 54 games (51 starts), all at just 23 years old (the same age as Mathurin).
It’s safe to say that both franchises are happy with their investments. Which is why if the Clippers hesitate with Mathurin, someone else won't.
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This story was originally published April 17, 2026 at 11:52 AM.