The Bucks are all in on pursuing Peyton Watson in restricted free agency at the moment, but still have some cheaper options to add high-potential wings if Watson stays with the Nuggets. One overlooked name is Bennedict Mathurin, who reportedly has very few potential suitors on the RFA market. Mathurin has much less trade value than Watson, so Milwaukee could snag him without giving up as much.
Mathurin could be a good gamble for the Bucks
Of course, there's a good reason that Mathurin isn’t as coveted as Watson. He’s clearly a much worse player who hasn’t contributed to winning in the same way throughout his young career. But Mathurin is still a talented player and downhill driver that contributed to a Finals run just 13 months ago.
If the Nuggets don’t lower their asking price for Watson enough, Mathurin could be the next best thing for the Bucks at a significant discount. Like Watson, Mathurin has flashed some potential as a go-to scorer when his team faced injuries. In the 2025 Finals, he even had a pair of 20+ point games, including 24 in Game 7 after Tyrese Haliburton went down for the Pacers.
There is an undeniable appeal to getting a young player (24 years old) who's shown he can score 16-18 points regardless of his circumstances. Mathurin also plays very physically for his 6'5" frame, which could help him serve as a wing next to the Bucks' abundance of guards. His best defense is typically played on-ball too, so the Bucks could be well-served having him guards big ball-dominant wings straight up.
There are major red flags with Mathurin too
But Mathurin still has a long way to go before he’s a solid impact player, mostly because of his inefficient scoring. He got more opportunity in leading roles with Haliburton out last season, but Mathurin’s efficiency remained poor and his scoring output barely increased. Last season's Pacers team wasn't a good environment for anyone to score efficiently, but Mathurin's efficiency woes continued to follow him after he was traded to the Clippers too.
He's never been a great shooter from deep, although he did hit 37% of his threes during his Pacers tenure last season before the trade. Still, Mathurin's overall field goal percentage hovered at just 43% and made his overall offensive impact questionable at best. Despite his relentless driving and fearless shooting, Mathurin's game doesn't necessarily translate to better offense for a team throughout an entire regular season.
The Bucks have no guarantee that they could mold Mathurin into a more efficient and impactful player. His tendency to take tough shots has remained constant throughout his career, regardless of whether he was playing in the Finals or on a tanking team in March.
But his talent still has some intrigue for Milwaukee's rebuild. He won't be at the top of their target list, but the Bucks could make a play for Mathurin if they don't find any better options at a reasonable price.
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