The Indiana Pacers have announced that guard Bennedict Mathurin will miss the rest of the 2023-24 NBA season due to surgery for a torn right labrum, set to take place next week in Los Angeles under the care of Dr. Neal ElAttrache.
This development comes as a significant setback for the Pacers, who currently boast the NBA’s most potent offense, largely due to the strength of their bench, where Mathurin has been a key figure.
The team is optimistic about Mathurin’s recovery, expecting him to return fully fit for the 2024-2025 season’s commencement.
Before his injury, Mathurin was on an upward trajectory, with an average of 19 points and shooting 41.4% from the 3-point line in his last five appearances. On the season, he’s asveraged 14.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 59 games.
At just 21, the 2023 All-Rookie first-team honoree had already made a name for himself as a pivotal player for one of the strongest bench squads in the league, even clinching the MVP title at the 2024 Rising Stars game during All-Star Weekend.
Selected sixth overall in the 2022 NBA Draft, Mathurin had an impressive rookie year with an average of 16.7 points per game. The Pacers were in the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference with a 35-29 record as of Saturday.
With the Pacers adding Pascal Siakam using a midseason trade, the development of Mathurin remains a crucial element of the team’s long-term trajectory.
In the meantime, currently the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference, the Pacers may need to navigate the play-in round to clinch a playoff spot. Despite this challenge, they remain a formidable opponent for the conference’s leading teams, albeit with a diminished bench strength.
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