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The Indiana Pacers had been thrilled with their pick of Bennedict Mathurin as the Summer League was playing out. Unfortunately, a lot of the optimism has been put on hold. On Thursday, the Pacers announced that Mathurin will is done for the rest of summer league due to a sore left big toe.
#Pacers announce that rookie Bennedict Mathurin is OUT for the rest of Summer League due to a sore left big toe. Second-year players Isaiah Jackson and Terry Taylor will no longer play in Summer League either.
📸 me pic.twitter.com/sErT5lkzNb
— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) July 14, 2022
Obviously, the Pacers want to be cautious with their young, talented guard. It's a sad end to his summer league participation. He had been one of the bigger standouts thus far. He averaged 19.3 points per game, to go along with four rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game.
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The Pacers drafted Mathurin 6th overall in the 2022 NBA Draft. He had a fantastic, albeit brief, career at Arizona. He spent two seasons with the Wildcats, but really it was all about last season for him. Mathurin dropped 17.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. His athleticism is off the charts and he has shown to be a great leader.
The Pacers were in need of a lot of what Mathurin brings to the table. Indiana is looking to build for the future. They traded away their best player, Domantas Sabonis, last season to the Sacramento Kings. In return, they somehow were able to acquire Tyrese Haliburton, who has begun to look like a rising superstar.
The Pacers created more room for Mathurin after the draft. They traded away Malcolm Brogdon for a bag of peanuts to the Boston Celtics. Ok, it was more than a bag of peanuts. They landed a number of players, most of which will not see the floor. But it was seen as a cost-cutting move for the rebuilding franchise. Much of that rebuild will depend on Mathurin, so keeping him healthy is essential.
