Getty Multiple members of the Philadelphia 76ers.
With the February 9 trade deadline quickly approaching, the Golden State Warriors are one of the teams expected to be active on the market. According to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Warriors have had “internal discussions” about a potential trade for Philadelphia 76ers wing Matisse Thybulle.
“Multiple NBA sources said the Golden State Warriors have had internal discussions about Thybulle and that they do like him as a defensive stopper,” Pompey wrote. “The Sacramento Kings are also reportedly monitoring his availability. A league source confirmed the interest, saying Kings coach Mike Brown is a fan of Thybulle, who would add a defensive presence to Sacramento’s starting lineup. The Kings (28-21), who surprisingly sit at third place in the Western Conference, are pondering upgrades for a postseason push after an NBA-record 16 straight seasons without a playoff appearance. The Kings’ and Warriors’ interest makes sense and is something to pay attention to.”
Once an integral part of the Sixers’ rotation, Thybulle has fallen out of favor this year. The defensive specialist has never been able to find a consistent rhythm on the offensive end of the floor, and it has greatly hindered his ability to earn regular minutes in Philadelphia. He’s playing a career-low 12.1 minutes per contest this season.
However, in Golden State, Thybulle would theoretically be able to focus on defense without having to worry about the offensive end. With all of the elite shooters and offensive weapons the Warriors employ, there would likely be less pressure on Thybulle.
So far this season, Thybulle is averaging 2.7 points and 1.2 rebounds on 43.5% shooting from the field and 33.3% shooting from distance. As noted, his defense is his calling card, and in the two seasons prior to this one, he averaged at least one block and one steal per game.
Nick Nurse Praises Warriors Shooting
For the past decade, the Warriors have established themselves as one of the best teams in league history. Their offensive game changed the way people view basketball, and adding a defensive stopper like Thybulle to the mix could be a nice complement to that.
After a January 27 win over the Toronto Raptors, head coach Nick Nurse praised their shooting and movement.
“For sure. They are,” Nurse said via the Raptors’ official YouTube channel. The level and quantity of shooters, [the] speed that they run and cut, nobody else has that when they’re rolling. It’s just, it’s a challenge. I say that, ‘They run really fast and you better be ready to run fast with them, and change directions.’”
Warriors Urged to Trade Draymond Green at Deadline
In addition to the talk of potential bench additions, sources who spoke with Sean Deveney of Heavy Sports indicated that the Warriors should consider trading Draymond Green by the February 9 deadline.
“They should [trade him this year],” a Western Conference executive told Deveney “If they made the decision that they’re not giving up any of the young kids, then that’s fine, but are you going to just keep chugging forward with what you’ve got? Obviously, the Draymond punch with [Jordan] Poole was a bigger deal than they let on, it is still dragging down that team. No doubt about it.”