The Sixers Shouldn’t Make Matisse Thybulle Untouchable
Written by Brandon Apter
The 2019-20 season was an odd and tragic one for numerous reasons. It started with the passing of Kobe Bryant and moved into the COVID-19 pandemic. We eventually got the bubble in Orlando, which was great as an NBA fan, but not so much for Sixers fans. A season that had such high expectations came crashing down after Ben Simmons got hurt and the Sixers got swept by Jayson Tatum and the Celtics in the first round.
Yep, Jayson Tatum and the Celtics. Let it sink in again.
Despite the disappointment, some young players on the roster turned some heads this season. Both Shake Milton and Matisse Thybulle became staples in the lineup for their skills on one side of the ball. Both guys have already caught the eye of new coach Doc Rivers, but if push comes to shove, the Sixers shouldn’t be afraid of adding one of them as a sweetener in a deal — even Matisse Thybulle.
Now, I know what you are thinking. It’s crazy.
The Sixers have not really developed young talent much at all.
Markelle Fultz didn’t pan out, Zhaire Smith will likely be added to any deal as a salary matcher, Landry Shamet was dealt for Tobias Harris, and Mikal Bridges was traded on draft night for ::checks notes:: Zhaire Smith. At least we have Furkan? Thanks, Bryan Colangelo.
Roster-wise and salary cap-wise, the Sixers really need Thybulle for his cheap contract. They’ve signed away millions upon millions of dollars to Tobias Harris and Al Horford. Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid are on extensions. Thybulle is making less than $3 million through 2021-22.
Thybulle offers an extremely valuable skillset on defense. He’s shown flashes of brilliance with shades of Robert Covington on deflections. Matisse finished fourth in the NBA in deflections per 36 minutes. He has also shown the ability to get hot from downtown. In December, Thybulle hit 54.5% of his shots from beyond the arc in 11 games off the bench.
Still, Thybulle struggled badly with consistency throughout his rookie season. You can blame Brett Brown’s short leash on Thybulle early in the season, regular rookie struggles or the fact that he just wasn’t a tremendous scorer in college. Perhaps he was not the best fit for them on draft night. But hey, they promised to pick him, so moot point. Thybulle’s role could have also been clunky due to the poor roster construction. It’s not a secret that the Sixers are in desperate need of wing scoring. And frankly, scoring in general. The former Washington product shot just 9-for-37 from 3 feet from the basket to the arc. He shot .297 from the floor in January and .250 from three in March. Sixers fans got infuriated at the hot and cold streaks of Robert Covington, and Thybulle is showing early signs of just that.
Philadelphia’s roster is flawed to the point where Daryl Morey is going to have to make uncomfortable decisions to get out from under contracts and put the right team around Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. Those are the two players that matter most. They should be the only untouchables (unless we’re talking about James Harden). If neither of them take steps forward to progress their game, whether it be jump shooting or passing out of double teams, it won’t matter if Matisse Thybulle gets traded or not. So if adding Thybulle to a deal that gets the Sixers a bonafide shooter in return, you have to consider it. If Thybulle would need to be added into a trade to get out from under a Horford or Harris contract, I’d be a little more weary about it.
Either way, with draft night upon us and free agency just days away, we’re going to find out very quickly whether the Sixers plan to make a big splash or just make adjustments on the margins ahead of the first season of the new Daryl Morey/Doc Rivers regime.
Featured Image: Matt Slocum/Associated Press
Discover more from Philadelphia Sports Nation
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Categorized:Uncategorized