The Philadelphia 76ers easily had the best summer slate out of all teams with their blockbuster additions and heady signings, but they also have their fair share of misses, especially in free agency. While those remain unrealized for now, one particular front could end up being a source of regret later on –– the decision not to pursue a reunion with Matisse Thybulle, who ended up signing with the Lakers.
The former 76ers wing, who spent the last few years in Portland, signed a one-year, veteran's minimum deal with the Lakers. Now, he is primed to turn in a strong bounce-back season as he has the opportunity to remind people what he is capable of as a three-and D wing, something that Philly enjoyed when he made a couple of All-Defensive Teams not too long ago.
The 76ers could regret allowing Matisse Thybulle to slip to the Lakers this offseason
Philadelphia entered the offseason in dire need of players who can be counted on to hit open threes and defend capably. Thybulle fit that description to a tee, so it was quite surprising that the 76ers were never even linked to him beyond mere fan-based conjectures.
Injuries limited Thybulle's availability over the last couple of years, but when he was in uniform, he was more than serviceable. In the last three seasons, he tallied 5.8 points, 1.9 steals, and nearly a block per outing in just a shade above 20 minutes of court time on average while shooting 37.1 percent from beyond the arc. Those are his typical numbers that prove how good he is as a disruptor.
The 76ers obviously brought in a lot of flashy reinforcements this offseason, but one could tenably raise the point that they were not really able to usher in enough three-and-D role players like Thybulle. While they still have a roster spot open to change that, Thybulle was already in plain view, yet the front office apparently did not even bother considering him in the end.
On the flip side, the Lakers have a role that would be perfect for the former 76ers wing. Following the departures of Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard, there are now a lot of minutes available to seize at the wing position, which bodes well for Thybulle and his quest for a bounce-back campaign.
Hopefully, there won't come a time this upcoming season when the decision not to reunite with Matisse Thybulle ends up hurting the 76ers. For now, that is a far-fetched idea, but with the margin of error being so slim in the race out East, even having a certain role player or not can make a world of difference in certain matchups.
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