Getty Images Matisse Thybulle of the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Philadelphia 76ers will have some decisions to make this offseason to maintain a championship-level roster and a key name that could be on the move is Matisse Thybulle.
Thybulle has excelled as a defensive stopper and has carved out a key role for the Sixers since being selected in the first round in 2019. However, Philadelphia has to make a decision soon on his future and could decide to move him before simply losing him if they feel they won’t be able to afford him once his rookie contract is up after next season. Thybulle could also be looking for a new deal this offseason, when he is eligible for an extension.
Bleacher Report proposed a trade that would land the Sixers a healthy haul for Thybulle and guard Furkan Korkmaz, sending the duo to the Kings and fetching a pair of second-round picks as well as Justin Holiday and big man Alex Len.
Here’s what B/R had to say about the proposed deal:
If the Sixers don’t feel they can pay him (especially with big contracts already owed to Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris and James Harden and Tyrese Maxey needing to be paid soon as well), they should try and trade Thybulle now with one year left on his rookie deal.
Holiday gives Philly a solid wing defender to help offset the loss of Thybulle, and Len is an upgrade over DeAndre Jordan as a backup center. The Kings also send multiple 2022 second-round picks to the Sixers, who currently don’t own a selection in the upcoming draft.
Thybulle Has Limited Upside Due to Lack of Offense
Having someone like Thybulle who can lock down opponents is a luxury for playoff squads, although his lack of offense has proved troublesome at times. Thybulle was a glaring weakness on the offensive end as recently as the Sixers’ first-round series against the Raptors.
The 25-year-old was unable to play in Toronto due to vaccination restrictions and said it put him in a funk. He averaged just 14.3 minutes per game when he did play, down from the 25.5 he played during the regular season.
“Like I said before, losing the rhythm of the Toronto series was a huge blow to my confidence and just everything on the court,” Thybulle told reporters prior to Game 4 against the Heat, per Sixers Wire. “Now, with each game, feeling more and more comfortable and like myself. Missing games in the playoffs is much harder than missing games in the regular season. I had no concept of what that would be like, especially missing games and then going from the starting lineup to coming off the bench. So yeah, it was massive. I definitely didn’t think it was gonna affect me as much as it did, but it definitely had an impact.”
Over his career, Thybulle is averaging 4.8 points and 1.9 rebounds to go with 1.6 steals and a block per game. Thybulle shoots 32.4% from beyond the arc, although he takes just two per game.
Sixers Have Decision to Make With James Harden
The Sixers made a blockbuster deal at the deadline to land Harden, significantly raising their ceiling as a team by adding a former MVP to a squad already in the title conversation. However, it’s been somewhat of a mixed bag for Harden in Philly, bringing into question his future with the franchise.
Harden has a $46.8 million player option for the 2022-23 season and there are rumblings that he could demand a supermax extension after that.
“The issue is when they made this trade, they knew they were not trading for James Harden,” ESPN insider Brian Windhorst said. “They were trading for James Harden and the right to pay him that. They mortgaged their depth and their future to do so and they’re pinning themselves in the corner with it.”
Harden showed up in a big way for the Sixers in Game 4 and if he can somehow help guide Philly to a title, the team might be willing to do whatever it takes to keep him aboard. However, that’ll limit what they can do with the rest of the roster and guys like Thybulle and even Tyrese Maxey down the line.