The New Orleans Pelicans found their headliner of the offseason. Bennedict Mathurin agreed to a two-year, $16 million deal with a player option on the second year, according to multiple reports. The signing was finalized August 26.
Mathurin, 24, split the 2025-26 season between the Indiana Pacers and the Los Angeles Clippers after a mid-season trade. His numbers were career-bests across the board: 17.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists in 54 games. The Clippers held his restricted free agent rights this summer but passed on matching – clearing the runway to New Orleans.
What he brings to Jamahl Mosley’s system
The Pelicans under new head coach Jamahl Mosley are building around length and versatility on the wing. Mathurin joins Dejounte Murray, Herb Jones, and Trey Murphy III – a group that gives Mosley options on both ends. His scoring off movement and his ability to create off the bounce fit the offensive identity New Orleans is crafting.
The signing stands as the most significant move of the offseason for basketball operations chief Joe Dumars. New Orleans had limited cap room but structured the deal to fit.
A Canadian making his mark
Mathurin is from Montreal, Quebec – one of a growing wave of Canadian players reshaping the NBA. His rise from raw prospect to starter-level wing puts him alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jamal Murray as a symbol of Canada’s basketball surge.
For the Pelicans, the signing signals intent. New Orleans was among the more active teams in the offseason’s final stretch – and Mathurin gives them a proven scorer on a cost-controlled deal heading into a pivotal campaign.
