The Detroit Pistons deserve credit for being active during the offseason despite still not knowing what will come of their negotiations with Jalen Duren. If there's one area in which they still need to improve, however, it's taking pressure off of franchise player Cade Cunningham in the shot creation department.
With this in mind, restricted free agent Bennedict Mathurin deserves a serious look from the Pistons. The question is: Would the pros actually outweigh the cons of signing him?
Mathurin is a compelling young player who offers an offensive skill set that would certainly make life easier for Cunningham in certain regards. He's also been somewhat limited in his usage through his first four seasons, however, which creates question marks due to both the cause and result of that truth.
Whether or not the pros outweigh the cons, there's no way around how appealing some of them are. That includes his ability to thrive as a downhill scorer.
Pro: Mathurin's scoring would take pressure off of Cade Cunningham
Through four seasons, Mathurin has thoroughly established that he has no trouble putting points on the board. He boasts a career average of 16.2 points in 28.6 minutes per game, which translates to 20.4 points per 36 minutes.
That alone makes Mathurin an ideal fit next to Cunningham, who was the only guard on Detroit's roster in 2025-26 to average at least 10.0 points per game.
Mathurin's success as a scorer has translated well to the playoffs. He averaged 11.0 points in 17.9 minutes per game during the Indiana Pacers' run to the 2025 NBA Finals, posting four 20-point performances between the Conference Finals and the championship round.
Mathurin may need to polish his skill set, but as a 24-year-old shot creator, he has the tools to make Cunningham's life significantly easier.
Con: Inefficient three-point shooting
The Pistons have made a concerted effort to become a better three-point shooting team during the 2026 offseason. They acquired two veteran sharpshooters in Isaiah Joe and Taurean Prince, and a floor-spacing power forward in John Collins, who buried 40.6 percent of his 3.2 attempts per game in 2025-26.
With both Ausar Thompson and potential re-signee Jalen Duren both lacking efficient jumpers, however, it's fair to question if the Pistons can add another high-volume player who struggles to shoot.
Mathurin shot 37.4 percent from beyond the arc in 2023-24, but that appears to be an outlier season. He buried just 32.3 percent of his threes as a rookie in 2022-23, 34.0 percent of his attempts in 2024-25, and 31.5 percent of his treys in 2025-26.
The good news: Mathurin shot 37.2 percent before the Pacers traded him in 2025-26. The bad news: He shot 20.7 percent in 26 games with the LA Clippers.
Pro: Untapped potential
The immediacy of Detroit's rise to prominence has overshadowed a simple yet essential fact: It boasts one of the youngest cores in the NBA. Cunningham will turn 25 in September, Duren will turn 23 in November, and Thompson will turn 24 in January.
That makes Mathurin, who turned 24 in June, an ideal fit for the timeline along which the Pistons are developing their cornerstones.
Beyond simply being young, Mathurin has a mountain of untapped potential. He's proven capable of producing explosive scoring performances in pivotal spots, including Game 7 of the NBA Finals, and has even looked capable of shooting efficiently in an environment that caters to his strengths.
If the Pistons believe they can equip Mathurin with a role that suits his preferred style of play, then his youth and upside would certainly fit with their current core.
Con: Defensive question marks
There have been moments when Mathurin has looked the part of a quality or even high-level defender. That translates statistically to him ranking in the 78th percentile in perimeter isolation defense in 2025-26, per Basketball Index.
The unfortunate truth about Mathurin, however, is that it's unclear whether or not he's actually a good defender—and though Detroit has a great culture, that's a factor they must consider.
Though Mathurin ranked in the 78th percentile in perimeter isolation defense in 2025-26, he finished in the 12th percentile in 2024-25. There's obviously reason to applaud his growth, but he also dipped from the 76th percentile in ball screen navigation in 2024-25 to the fourth percentile in 2025-26.
Some film offers reason for optimism, but there's just as much that suggests Mathurin needs a strictly defined defensive role to excel in the way Detroit would need him to.
Pro: Postseason experience
Though Mathurin is already 24, he has a unique perspective on what it takes to win in the playoffs. He helped the Pacers reach the 2025 NBA Finals and played a rather pivotal role along the way, providing explosive scoring performances in key spots.
Though it's fair to question if he can be consistent as a scorer, Mathurin's history of stepping up in the playoffs bodes well for a Pistons side that's looking to improve upon a second round exit in 2026.
Mathurin scored 20-plus points in five playoff games in 2025 and finished in double figures in 10. He looked comfortable in an environment where physical defense was unavoidable, battling for space and putting points on the board in a way that no Piston but Cunningham was consistently managing to in 2026.
There's plenty of risk involved in potentially engaging in a bidding war for Mathurin, but the pros and cons need to be weighed against one another to make an informed decision.
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