Overview
- Reporting on Wednesday, July 29 identified the Chicago Bulls as the second team showing interest in restricted free agent Bennedict Mathurin alongside the New Orleans Pelicans.
- The Clippers tendered Mathurin a qualifying offer worth roughly $8.8 million, which gives L.A. the right to match any offer sheet another team signs for the 24-year-old.
- New Orleans is exploring ways to create room to sign Mathurin, including trading Jordan Hawkins or arranging a sign-and-trade with the Clippers to move salary and use exception space.
- Chicago’s remaining cap flexibility is limited after recent moves, so analysts say the Bulls would likely need a sign-and-trade rather than a modest offer sheet to present a credible challenge to L.A.
- Mathurin’s market is driven by his recent production, about 17.6–17.8 points and 5.4 rebounds per game last season, and the Clippers’ ability to make long-term commitments is complicated by the ongoing NBA investigation into cap mechanics related to Kawhi Leonard.