Clippers Withdraw Mathurin Qualifying Offer
The Los Angeles Clippers have withdrawn their qualifying offer for Bennedict Mathurin, making him an unrestricted free agent.
The Los Angeles Clippers have withdrawn their qualifying offer for swingman Bennedict Mathurin, according to Spotrac contributor Keith Smith. This action makes Mathurin an unrestricted free agent, clearing the path for him to join the New Orleans Pelicans on a two-year contract agreed to this week.
The Clippers' qualifying offer was worth $8.8 million. It had designated Mathurin as a restricted free agent. That status would have allowed Los Angeles to match any offer sheet from another team. Alternatively, any acquiring team would have needed to arrange a sign-and-trade. By withdrawing the offer, the Clippers removed those restrictions entirely.
Contract Details and Free Agency Path
Mathurin is reportedly signing a two-year, $16 million deal that includes a player option. This specific structure was key to the move. An offer sheet requires a minimum two-year deal, not counting options.
A sign-and-trade contract must cover at least three seasons. His two-year pact with an option meant neither standard avenue was available, necessitating the Clippers' cooperation in withdrawing the qualifying offer.
The deadline for a team to unilaterally rescind a qualifying offer was July 13. However, teams can still do so with the player's consent at any point in the offseason, which is what occurred here.
Mathurin had drawn interest from several teams this summer, including the Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks, and Dallas Mavericks. He received longer-term offers with more total money. He preferred this shorter-term deal, which allows him to become an unrestricted free agent again as early as next offseason.
Mathurin's Recent Performance
Mathurin was acquired by the Clippers from the Indiana Pacers in February as part of the trade for Ivica Zubac. His production in Los Angeles was consistent with his earlier season numbers in Indiana, though his three-point shooting plummeted.
| Team (2025/26 Season) | Games | Points Per Game | Rebounds Per Game | Assists Per Game | 3PT% | 3PT Attempts Per Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana Pacers | 28 | 17.8 | 5.4 | 2.3 | 37.2% | 5.6 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | 26 | 17.4 | 5.5 | 2.5 | 20.7% | 3.2 |
The former sixth overall pick is a dangerous scorer whose effectiveness hinges on getting to the free-throw line, where he is a career 83.8% shooter on 5.1 attempts per game. His play-making is still developing; he has more career turnovers (502) than assists (500). You can explore more detailed stats for players across the league.
Pelicans' Roster Implications
In New Orleans, Mathurin will join a backcourt featuring Dejounte Murray, Jordan Poole, and 2025 lottery pick Jeremiah Fears. The Pelicans are signing him using part of their non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
This addition gives New Orleans 16 players on standard contracts, one over the regular season limit. The team must therefore make another roster move before the season begins. The Pelicans have been shopping guard Jordan Hawkins to create the necessary space.
According to Smith, another option would be to use the waive-and-stretch provision on Hawkins, with today being the deadline for that mechanism.
Source: Hoops Rumors