Getty Matisse Thybulle of the Philadelphia 76ers guards Marcus Smart of the Boston Celtics.
This season’s NBA Trade Deadline was a wild one. It included two blockbuster deals with the Dallas Mavericks trading for Kyrie Irving and the Phoenix Suns landing Kevin Durant. While the Mavs may have made headlines when they landed the former No. 1 overall pick, it doesn’t sound like they were satisfied with that move alone.
According to The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey, Dallas wanted to make a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers for Matisse Thybulle.
“The Sixers came close to trading Thybulle to the Dallas Mavericks, according to sources. One source said that deal was 95% complete,” Pompey wrote. “The only holdup was the Sixers’ insistence on receiving a first-round pick as part of the package for Thybulle. So, after the Mavs finally balked, the Sixers turned their attention to finalizing a deal with Charlotte.”
Thybulle wound up being dealt to the Portland Trailblazers in a three-team trade, after Dallas dipped out of the negotiations.
The full deal was:
Philadelphia 76ers Receive: Jalen McDaniels, New York Knicks’ 2024 second-rounder, Portland’s 2029 second-rounder.
Portland Trailblazers Receive: Thybulle
Charlotte Hornets Receive: Svi Mykhailiuk, Sixers’ 2023 second-rounder
Thybulle, a two-time member of the NBA’s All-Defensive Second Team, was having a down year in Philly. He appeared in 49 of the team’s 53 games, playing a career-low 12.1 minutes each time. The former Washington standout averaged 2.7 points, 1.3 rebounds, 0.9 steals, and 0.5 assists for the Sixers, while shooting 44.8% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc.
Mavericks Refused to Include Josh Green in Kyrie Irving Trade
The Mavericks had just about as much interest in sending a first-round pick to Philly, as they did in including Josh Green in a trade for Irving.
According to The Athletic’s Tim Cato, the Mavs had no interest in including Josh Green in a deal for Irving, despite the Nets’ “strong interest.”
“Several sources indicated the team prioritized Josh Green, a blossoming 22-year-old wing, to not being included in the trade despite Brooklyn’s strong interest in him,” Cato wrote.
Mavericks’ Kyrie Irving Sends Strong Message to Kevin Durant
Irving, who the Mavericks landed in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets on February 5, made his debut in a 110-104 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. He led the team in scoring with 24 points, 8 of which, came in the fourth quarter.
Following his first game wearing the white and blue, Irving was asked about his former teammate Durant, who had just been traded to the Suns.
“Competition as brothers. You know, I’m just praying for his happiness, praying for his well being. We had a lot of conversations throughout the year of what our futures were going to look like, there was still a level of uncertainty,” Irving said via Brad Townsend. “But, we just cared about seeing each other be places where we can thrive, and whether that be together or whether that be apart, there’s never been one moment where I’ve felt like he’s been angry at me for the decisions I’ve made, or I’ve been angry at him. We’ve just tried to understand each other a lot better and grow as human beings, grow as brothers. This business changes so quickly. He’s getting a little bit older, I’m getting a little bit older. I just love the competition now that we can be in the same conference and I welcome all of that. I’ll get to see him a little bit more, probably playing against Phoenix a lot more. That’s what I’m looking forward to. Everything else in between, I’m just glad he got out of there.”
Apologies, shot several Irving videos, THIS is his reaction to the Durant trade.