Report: Matisse Thybulle linked to Golden State Warriors

Feb 1, 2023 - 2:48 PM

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Earlier in the week, Marc Stein reported that Matisse Thybulle’s availability was being monitored by the Sacramento Kings. Now, the Inquirer's Keith Pompey echoed that sentiment, along with listing an additional team — the Golden State Warriors.

Multiple NBA sources said the Golden State Warriors have had internal discussions about Thybulle and that they do like him as a defensive stopper. 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.

We broke down the Kings’ interest a few days ago, but the Mike Brown detail is something to keep note of. Head coaches often have some pull in the team building side of things.

The Golden State Warriors, who have been the face of space and pace, are an interesting suitor for Thybulle. They have plenty of offense to make up for his defensive shortcomings with Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Jordan Poole.

Odds are the Warriors are seeking out a player to play the Gary Payton II role this year, and for good reason. He was a huge part of their title run, and losing him in free agency hurt. We’ve seen Thybulle play a similar role in Philly last season as a cutter, where he managed to shoot 70.4 percent around the basket. As of right now the Warriors have the 16th-best defense; not terrible, but certainly not where they want to be as a potential title contender.

So, what could a framework to a Thybulle-Golden State deal look like? The Warriors are deep within the luxury tax, which could potentially complicate things. Assuming their main core is off the table, it’s tough to pinpoint what they could offer to entice the Sixers.

With players, Donte DiVincenzo would probably make the most sense. Ironically, his salary almost perfectly matches up with Thybulle’s. He’s been a good contributor for them this season, but you could also argue that the Sixers don’t really need him with their loaded backcourt rotation.

Much like the Kings, you’d probably be looking at a trade for another trade or a three-team deal to bring in outside players. The Warriors do have draft compensation to offer. They have first-round picks in 2023 and 2025. They also have a Hornets’ second-round pick in 2025, and Memphis’ second in 2026.

I’d temper expectations on what Thybulle can bring back in a deal, however. Pompey also said this in his report:

And even if they do attempt to trade him, the market might not bring back enough in his place. At the moment, multiple league sources said Thybulle’s lack of consistent production has lowered his trade value. The sources said, at this time, they wouldn’t give up a first-round pick for him

Outside of the inconsistency, this lines up. Thybulle will be a restricted free agent this summer, which means he could be a rental to any team that trades for him. Best case scenario for a trade might be similar to what the Wizards got for Rui Hachimura; some second-round picks and a rotation player.

Trade rumors are finally starting to pick up, and the slew of recent reports makes it sound like the Sixers might have a busier deadline than we thought.