Philadelphia 76ers: Matisse Thybulle is treading on thin ice

The Philadelphia 76ers and Matisse Thybulle seem to be going in different directions.

The Philadelphia 76ers are 2-0, and while the start of the season has been far from perfect, the early signs are good. This Sixers team is going to win plenty of games. That said, Matisse Thybulle — who was arguably Brett Brown’s top reserve last season — is suddenly teetering on the brink of irrelevance.

It’s too early to write off Thybulle. He’s 24, on a rookie-scale contract, and one of the most interesting defensive prospects in basketball. He will carve out a role somewhere at some point, but it’s fair to wonder whether that will happen in Philadelphia.

Doc Rivers has buried Thybulle in the depth chart, with Mike Scott and rookie Tyrese Maxey staking claims in the 10-man rotation. Thybulle got some run in the second half of Saturday’s win over New York, but even so, he seems like the 11th man in a 10-man rotation. He’s a situational defender, not someone Rivers will lean on consistently.

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While it is fair to argue Thybulle should get minutes, there is a clear reason for his sudden disappearance. The Sixers constructed this year’s roster around Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. That means shooting, shooting, and more shooting. Rivers has consciously used four-out lineups around his stars, and frankly, Thybulle doesn’t yet qualify as a “shooter.” Defenses don’t respect him.

Thybulle’s offensive ineptitude often overwhelms his productivity on defense. He’s good for multiple deflections each game, but if he’s hamstringing the offense on the other end, questions of his long-term fit become inevitable. If the Sixers are genuinely committed to building around Embiid and Simmons for the next five years, does Thybulle become more promising as a trade asset than a player?

When our writers got together to rank every player on the Sixers roster, Thybulle came in sixth. While that is a slightly high estimation in my book — especially with Shake Milton’s ascension — he’s probably a top-10 player, talent-wise, on this team. Even so, he’s such a poor fit it might not matter.

For all the valid complaints about Mike Scott, he does let it fly with confidence behind the 3-point line. That alone has tremendous value next to Embiid and Simmons, who thrive most next to quick decision-makers. Scott either shoots or moves the ball. He doesn’t make the offense stuffier than it needs to be. One cannot say the same about Thybulle.

Also problematic for Thybulle is Maxey, the new rookie on the block who has already captured the imagination of fans in a way even Thybulle never did. Maxey is better and more valuable than Thybulle already. Maxey is likely to see his minutes increase as the season progresses. As Rivers invests more in Maxey, the odds of Thybulle getting a real crack at playing time will diminish.

For the first time in a while, the Sixers have a seemingly competent second unit. Five players who can survive extended stretches on the floor. Thybulle isn’t part of that group right now, and unless he gets the chance to change Rivers’ mind, his future in Philadelphia looks surprisingly bleak.

Thybulle would benefit from a more traditionally structured team with superstars who don’t inherently compress the floor. He would probably have a better case for minutes not only in a rebuild, but on most other contenders.

This isn’t to say Thybulle shouldn’t get minutes. Yours truly is not on the Mike Scott train. Lovely human, but not a great basketball player. Even so, he is a quick-trigger shooter and a veteran who understands Rivers’ system. There’s a reason he has a spot in the rotation, and I’m not inclined to believe he will lose it any time soon.

Again, it is too early to start penning Thybulle’s Philadelphia obituary. Rivers has said the 24-year-old will get his chance, and we are only two games into the regular season. Thybulle missed time in training camp, which puts him at a disadvantage as Rivers looks to get a grasp on his rotations. With time, both in practice and on the court, plenty can change. Thybulle is not “in the doghouse,” per se.

That said, it’s bleak. Much bleaker than one could have expected after Thybulle’s borderline revelatory freshman campaign. He looked the part of a long-term building block during stretches last season. After two games under Rivers, we are already questioning if he will make it to the end of the season in a Sixers uniform.

Thybulle will have to improve offensively for his fit in Philadelphia to remain tenable long-term. Unless drastic changes are made — i.e. James Harden — Thybulle remains a tricky fit next to Philadelphia’s foundational pieces. That is a difficult truth to overcome, no matter how talented he is defensively.

Only time will tell, but Thybulle is treading on thin ice.