One of the less contentious moves (see Payton II, Gary) the Portland Trail Blazers made at this year’s trade deadline was acquiring Matisse Thybulle from the Philadelphia 76ers in a three-team deal that also included the Charlotte Hornets.
Portland sent a 2029 second-round pick and forward Svi Mykhailiuk, who they brought in as part of the Josh Hart trade with the New York Knicks, to the Hornets.
Thybulle gives the Blazers a 25-year-old guard who’s already been twice named second-team all-defense in his first three NBA seasons.
Matisse Thybulle is expected to make his Portland Trail Blazers debut against the Los Angeles Lakers
After missing the team’s Feb. 10 matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Thybulle is expected to be available and make his Portland debut against the Lakers at home at Moda Center.
Blazers have ruled Jerami Grant out for tonight after he entered the concussion protocol over the weekend. Kevin Knox is available to make his Blazers debut now that the trade is official. Matisse Thybulle is expected to be in uniform as well.
— Sean Highkin (@highkin) February 13, 2023
The Blazers are fifth in the NBA in offensive rating, but 27th in defensive rating. Thybulle’s ability as a shut-down perimeter defender will be welcome against a new-look LA team that now features D’Angelo Russell and Malik Beasley in the backcourt.
Portland Head Coach Chauncey Billups threw the also-recently-acquired Cam Reddish into the fire against the Thunder, starting the 23-year-old in his first game in a Blazers uniform. It will be interesting to see if Billups takes the same route with Thybulle.
The former Sixer is another candidate to permanently fill the spot in the starting lineup vacated by Hart. He’s more of a like-for-like fit than Reddish, if Billups prefers to replace that spot with another defensive-minded guard.
Thybulle will play a key role down the stretch this season as Portland’s best on-ball defender with GP2 now officially a member of the Golden State Warriors.