NBA Rumors: The 6 'girlfriends' that have emerged for a 2025 finalist with the Indiana Pacers

The Indiana Pacers continue to try to fill the enormous void left by Myles Turner last summer when he left as a free agent. The franchise has not yet found his natural replacement in the paint, and as reported by Jake Fischer in The Stein Line, the front office is willing to make a move using Bennedict Mathurin as the main piece to attract a starting center via trade.

Mathurin, 23 years old and about to become a restricted free agent, is having the best season of his career. The forward is averaging 17.8 points per game, a remarkable leap in his production that has sparked strong interest in the market. According to various reports, up to six teams have already inquired about his availability. Journalist Evan Sidery notes that the following teams have Mathurin on their radar:

• Atlanta Hawks

• Brooklyn Nets

• Dallas Mavericks

• Los Angeles Clippers

• Minnesota Timberwolves

• New Orleans Pelicans

All of them see an attractive profile in the Canadian: an explosive scorer, with impact on both ends of the court and room for growth.

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Dallas offers Gafford

A specific proposal has emerged from Dallas. The Mavericks would be willing to send center Daniel Gafford to Indiana in exchange for Mathurin. In Texas, they believe that the forward would alleviate a significant defensive burden on rookie sensation Cooper Flagg, in what could be a very interesting fit for the franchise.

In the case of the Pelicans, the name on the table is Yves Missi. The 21-year-old Belgian center standing at 2.11 meters had a great rookie season last year, but in his second year, both his minutes and impact have been reduced. The emergence of rookie Derik Queen has taken away his starting role at the 'five' position, making Missi an expendable piece in the New Orleans rotation.

With Mathurin as trade bait, the Pacers are exploring different avenues to strengthen their interior play and finally close the wound left by Myles Turner's departure. The market will determine if any of these options end up becoming the center Indiana has been seeking for months.