Report: A ‘third of the league’ looking into Sixers’ Matisse Thybulle

Feb 8, 2023 - 5:50 PM

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Matisse Thybulle is playing just 12.1 minutes per game this season for the Philadelphia 76ers, down from 25.5 last season. As time winds down until the trade deadline, he’s garnering some serious interest from around the league and it’s looking like there’s a decent that the guard will be moved before Thursday afternoon, according to reports.

The teams interested in the Sixers’ two-time All-Defensive pick reportedly spans “a third of the league.” Our Sean Kennedy explained why trading Thybulle now makes sense:

His $4.38M salary cap figure is enough to match up with a decent amount of other players in a one-for-one deal. With restricted free agency on the horizon for him this summer, the Sixers might want to ensure they get something for Thybulle now, rather than the possibility of his heading elsewhere this offseason on a contract they don’t feel inclined to match. While Matisse is still a helpful rotation player during the regular season, his offensive limitations have made him an on-court liability during past postseasons.

And it looks like there will be a number of options for Philadelphia to consider.

Per Marc Stein, both the Atlanta Hawks and the Sacramento Kings have their eyes on Thybulle. Stein said:

Sources say that Atlanta has joined Sacramento as a confirmed suitor for Philadelphia’s Matisse Thybulle. I don’t know that the Hawks will be the ultimate landing spot, but I’ve been advised that the prospect of Thybulle getting traded before Thursday’s buzzer is very real

Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer has reported that the Golden State Warriors’ have also expressed interest in Thybulle. Wednesday morning, he added the Utah Jazz to the mix as a possible landing spot with a deal for Jarred Vanderbilt that the Sixers’ may be looking at closing:

“There’s a belief that the shooting guard [Thybulle] will be moved before Thursday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline as the team positions itself to win this season’s NBA title. The Sixers (34-18), who are third in the Eastern Conference, could replace him with a suitable backup center to help push the squad to a deep postseason run.

Multiple sources insist Utah Jazz post player Jarred Vanderbilt is a leading target in the Sixers’ quest to fortify frontcourt depth behind All-Star center Joel Embiid. The 6-foot-9 Vanderbilt is a power forward but has the ability to defend all three frontcourt positions. The Sixers are also in the market for a wing, so Vanderbilt could check two boxes for them.”

As Wednesday continues, the list of teams grows longer. Now the Indiana Pacers, Portland Trail Blazers, Milwaukee Bucks, Dallas Mavericks, Charlotte Hornets, Toronto Raptors and Phoenix Suns are being reported by HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto to be in the mix for Thybulle.

That’s 10 teams, a third of the league, looking at making a move for the defensive-minded guard. With endless possibilities of deals with each of these teams, Sixers fans will just have to wait until more develops to see if Thybulle’s time in Philadelphia has come to an end.