Cut loose No. 3: Matisse Thybulle
Like Reddish, Matisse Thybulle is a restricted free agent this offseason. Based on Sportrac’s player valuation tool, Thybulle could demand a salary similar to Reddish in free agency, around the $8 million range.
However, Thybulle could be valued higher than Reddish because he’s more of a proven commodity who has already demonstrated he is elite on the defensive end.
Thybulle recently had a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in which he played 30 minutes and scored two points on 16.7 percent shooting. He’s become too much of a liability on the offensive end to justify a contract close to $10 million annually.
While Thybulle does play excellent defense (an area of the Trail Blazers roster that certainly needs help), he needs to be more consistent on the offensive end to be relied on as a starter.
The Blazers have too many players that are one-dimensional from an offensive standpoint, and adding a defensively one-dimensional player won’t necessarily solve the problem. When Portland is on offense, teams can leave Thybulle open. When the Blazers on defense, teams can put Thybulle in pick-and-roll situations to get a preferable matchup elsewhere.
The Blazers need more two-way players, and signing players like Thybulle and Reddish won’t help them get to where they want to be long term. Spending that money on one consistent, two-way starter at the wing position would make more sense.