The Indiana Pacers closed the NBA trade deadline Thursday by reshaping their roster around a new frontcourt anchor, and the move prompted an emotional response from franchise guard Tyrese Haliburton.
Following Indiana’s trade with the Los Angeles Clippers for center Ivica Zubac, Haliburton shared a heartfelt message on Instagram directed at Bennedict Mathurin, who was sent out as part of the deal. Haliburton posted a photo of the two dapping each other up, captioned, “My Brother. Go be great 00,” accompanied by a fingers-crossed emoji and a yellow heart.
The Pacers acquired Zubac and Kobe Brown from Los Angeles in exchange for Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, a protected 2026 first-round pick, an unprotected 2029 first-round pick and a future second-round pick. The trade addressed a long-standing need in the middle following last summer’s departure of Myles Turner, who signed with the Milwaukee Bucks after Indiana’s run to the NBA Finals.
Mathurin, 23, was selected sixth overall in the 2022 NBA Draft and had been enjoying a career season in his fourth year with the Pacers. He is averaging 17.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game while shooting 43.3 percent from the field, 37.2 percent from 3-point range and 88.4 percent from the free-throw line across 28 games, including 24 starts. He logged 31.8 minutes per contest and was a key part of Indiana’s wing rotation.
Tyrese Haliburton via IG pic.twitter.com/bizZxH5rLu
— The Indy Pacer (@TheIndyPacer) February 5, 2026
Bennedict Mathurin joins Clippers as Pacers reset around Tyrese Haliburton
Mathurin now joins a Clippers team that sits ninth in the Western Conference standings at 23-27. He steps into a roster led by Kawhi Leonard and Darius Garland, who was recently acquired in a separate deal that sent James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Los Angeles begins a four-game road trip Friday night against the Sacramento Kings at 10 p.m. ET on Prime Video.
For Indiana, the move reflects a continued push to recalibrate after a remarkable stretch of postseason success. The Pacers reached the Eastern Conference finals in 2024 and followed that up with an NBA Finals appearance last season, ultimately falling to the Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games. That run came at a cost, as Haliburton suffered a torn Achilles in Game 7 of the Finals and continues his recovery.
Indiana enters the next phase of the season at 13-38 and opens a six-game road trip Friday night against the Milwaukee Bucks at 8 p.m. ET. Zubac is expected to anchor the frontcourt as the Pacers stabilize their rotation while Haliburton works toward a return.
Haliburton’s message underscored the human side of a deadline defined by major decisions. As Indiana turns the page with Zubac in the middle and Mathurin beginning a new chapter in Los Angeles, the Pacers continue balancing immediate needs with the long-term vision shaped by their recent postseason runs.
