Shams Charania: Bennedict Mathurin has agreed to a two-year, $16 million deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, including a player option, sources tell ESPN
. Mathurin’s reps approached the Clippers about withdrawing his $8.8M qualifying offer, effectively turning the QO into a more favorable situation in New Orleans with added security. Mathurin prioritized flexibility and the earliest path to unrestricted free agency next summer versus longer term offers with larger total commitments but greater team control.sources tell ESPN.
More on Bennedict Mathurin: Recent HoopsHype Rumors
APHoops: Bennedict Mathurin is expected to either be sign-and-traded to the New Orleans Pelicans or opt-in to his qualifying offer to remain with LA, per @JakeLFischer via B/R. New Orleans has been the one aggressive
suitor for Mathurin. — 8/25/2026 x.com
Bobby Marks: For the Clippers, the Max Stus $16.6M expiring contract goes into the $17M John Collins trade exception. Including the $8.7M Bennedict Mathurin Qualifying Offer, LAC is $11.7M below the first apron. — 8/19/2026 x.com
Not much has changed, I'm told, on the Bennedict Mathurin front. Sources say that the restricted free agent's representatives remain engaged with the Pelicans, Bulls and Bucks. And the door on a return to the Clippers, according to one source briefed on the process, remains open even after LA re-signed Bradley Beal earlier this week. — 8/17/2026 marcstein.substack.com
While the Los Angeles Clippers remain interested in re-signing restricted free agent Bennedict Mathurin, the New Orleans Pelicans, Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks, and Dallas Mavericks have expressed sign-and-trade interest in the 24-year-old swingman, league sources told HoopsHype. With that said, there’s work to be done by each team if they’re going to add Mathurin. — 7/31/2026 HoopsHype
Marc Stein: The Pelicans and Bulls remain engaged suitors for Clippers RFA Bennedict Mathurin, says one source close to the process. The source adds: "Dallas has not expressed interest at a serious level" thus far. @MikeAScotto reported today that Milwaukee has joined the Mathurin chase. — 7/31/2026 x.com
While it remains possible the Bulls use that room on Mathurin or someone else to fill their final roster spot, they remain fixated on maintaining cap and roster flexibility. Given the Bulls’ priorities, they are reluctant to enter into any long-term commitments. General manager Bryson Graham has signaled a preference for short-term deals with limited guarantees, having inked guard Norman Powell and center Zach Collins to two-year contracts with a team option in Year 2. — 7/31/2026 New York Times
The Bulls recognize how early they sit in this rebuild, and the desire for talent at any position will trump stylistic need for a roster still discovering its long-term identity. Mathurin, who turned 24 in June, remains a talented young scorer who could be worth a flyer. But Chicago values two things at this stage: roster flexibility and acquiring future assets. Mathurin made roughly $9.2 million this past season, and his next contract is widely expected to exceed that figure in annual value. — 7/31/2026 New York Times
As the Chicago Bulls approach the fall with an open roster spot, they’ve been linked to LA Clippers restricted free agent guard Bennedict Mathurin. The Bulls’ reported interest in Mathurin, though, has been overstated, according to a league source who was granted anonymity to describe ongoing deliberations. — 7/31/2026 New York Times
The Stein Line on Tuesday learned that Chicago is Mathurin's other current suitor. You'll recall that The Stein Line also revealed recently (July 23 to be exact) that New Orleans has been trying to shed Jordan Hawkins' contract via trade to move further away from the first apron. Among the options available to the Pelicans, if they succeed in those efforts, would be opening up the use of a healthy portion of its midlevel exception to assemble an offer sheet to Mathurin. — 7/29/2026 marcstein.substack.com
Shamit Dua: I'll have more thoughts on this. But in a hypothetical Mathurin sign and trade that sends Herb to the Clippers, the Pelicans would be severely downgrading in terms of guys who impact winning. Herb's 3 year RAPM is +3.2, Mathurin's is -2.9. The difference equal to adding a star — 7/28/2026 Bluesky
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Bennedict Mathurin, Pelicans agree to a two-year, $16 million deal
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