Upon trading for him right at this season’s trade deadline, the Portland Trail Blazers intend to extend their ties with Matisse Thybulle.
Per Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the swingman is expected to remain in Portland, wherein the club holds his bird rights as he hits the restricted free agency this offseason.
“That’s the thought behind it,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said of trading for Thybulle. ”He’s the type of guy that we like, that’s going to compete on the defensive end and is going to play a selfless game on the offensive end. And he’s just a winning spirit.”
After a lowly 2022-23 partial season with Philly, as he only averaged 2.7 points, 1.3 boards, 0.9 steals in 12.1 minutes of play in 49 games, Thybulle found a home in Portland.
Under Billups, the Australian cager emerged as the team’s primary defensive pest on the perimeter, starting in 10 games of the Blazers since the trade and tallying a career-high 7.5 points, 4.2 boards, 1.8 assists, 1.8 steals, and 1.1 blocks while shooting a splendid 40.9 percent shooting per 4.4 attempts a game.
This sudden increase in his production and new role in Rip City can only make Thybulle delighted to be landed in a perfect place where he can grow and continue to develop.
“Realizing that when the trade went through was a really good feeling to feel like I wasn’t going somewhere to get out of a situation,” Thybulle said. “I’m going somewhere where I can potentially thrive.”
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