The Los Angeles Lakers made one of the sneakiest offseason free agent signings by getting two-time All-Defensive wing Matisse Thybulle to agree to a veteran minimum contract to play in the Purple and Gold this upcoming NBA season.
But while Thybulle has the resume, specifically on the defensive end, to upgrade the biggest hole in this Lakers roster, him just being on the team isn’t a guarantee that he joins the starting lineup or has a big role throughout the year.
Thybulle recently made the case for why he deserves to be in the starting lineup, and despite recent praise from head coach JJ Redick, the 2021 and 2022 All-Defensive player isn’t expected to start or finish games for the Lakers this season.
Matisse Thybulle On Why He Deserves A Starting Lineup Spot
Speaking during a recent interview, Thybulle discussed where he stands as a candidate to fill out the expected Lakers starting lineup of Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Quentin Grimes, and Walker Kessler.
If Thybulle were to join that group of four, it would be a small lineup with some slight shooting concerns. However, considering what the two-time All-Defensive player brings on one side of the ball, it’s easy to picture the rest of the guys picking up the slack on the offensive end of the floor.
But regardless of Thybulle’s future in the starting lineup, the veteran said he trusts head coach JJ Redick and the rest of the Lakers’ top decision-makers on whatever his role is this season.
“I leave those decisions up to the coaches,” Thybulle told reporters. “Yeah, so for me, if my teammates are happy with how I’m playing and the coaches are happy with how I’m playing, that’s a good sign to me that I’m doing a good job.”
“But if that means I’m coming off the bench or that means I’m starting, I trust that the coaches know how to use me best to create the most impact, and we’ll go with that.”
Thybulle is expected to have a big season after a couple of down years with the Portland Trail Blazers, as his defense is likely to play a massive role for the Lakers, a team whose two star guards aren’t known for their acumen on that end of the floor.
“Thybulle should be able to have great success with the Lakers. The former two-time All-Defensive Team member is exactly what Los Angeles needs on the perimeter. In the kindest way this could be interpreted: Matisse is a menace,” Svyatoslav Rovenchuk wrote for LakeShowLife.com.
“That should pave the way for a successful two-way season. Easy transition buckets will come his way when helping the Lakers create these turnovers. Even when the game slows down, Luka Doncic is there to give Thybulle a chance at continuing his statistical shooting success from the last few years.”
Still, even if Thybulle is a great fit on this Lakers team as a whole, the expectation is that he’ll remain in a smaller role for the time being.
Lakers Poised For Simple Decision On All-Defensive Wing
NBA reporter Law Murray of The Athletic, doesn’t think Thybulle will be in the starting lineup, and instead believes the 29-year-old will instead be fighting for consistent minutes on a nightly basis, despite what he brings to the table on the defensive end of the floor.
“The biggest questions for Thybulle, who turns 30 years old in March, are that he has appeared in only 45 games over the past two seasons and isn’t the same athlete he was earlier in his career,” Murray wrote after questioning Thybulle’s chances of playing a big role on this Lakers team. “He’s almost strictly an off-ball offensive player. Macus Smart had a similar two-year walk in the wilderness prior to joining the Lakers on a one-year deal last season; perhaps the Lakers catch lightning in a bottle a second time with Thybulle.”
Even if Thybulle believes he deserves one more chance at becoming a starter, all signs point to him being the veteran leader off the bench, giving the Lakers a better chance at keeping games close when it’s not Doncic and Reaves running the show.
As Tyler Watts wrote for LakeShowLife.com, Thybulle would be better suited coming off the bench, despite what his defensive prowess and past resume show about his potential impact.
“Fans should see an even better version of Thybulle, but head coach JJ Redick should bring him off the bench and watch his minutes closely,” he wrote, before then citing major concerns about Thybulle’s availability over the past few years. “Coach Redick has to strike a balance here. The Lakers want to maximize Thybulle’s impact without running him into the ground. The best ability in the NBA is availability. Los Angeles has to do whatever it can to keep him on the floor. That means limiting his minutes and using him situationally…The goal is to have Thybulle healthy and playing his best in the playoffs.”
For Thybulle, he has the skill set to become a key contributor for the Lakers. Sadly for him, it looks like he’ll face an uphill battle to get the role on this team that he wants. Still, as one of, if not the most proven defenders on the roster, he’ll have a ton of chances to prove why he’s the one to play alongside Doncic, Reaves, and Kessler in the biggest moments of the season for Los Angeles this year.
Lakers Poised To Bench New All-Defensive Wing Matisse Thybulle In Bold Decision