Doc Rivers' Message to Matisse Thybulle After Extension Deadline

After Matisse Thybulle failed to agree to an extension with the Sixers, Doc Rivers addressed the situation.

The Philadelphia 76ers had until Monday night to agree to terms on a new extension with their 2019 first-round pick, Matisse Thybulle.

In the weeks leading up to the deadline, Daryl Morey was asked about where the team is at regarding a Thybulle extension. The Sixers' President of Basketball Operations declined to comment.

"I would say that talks between, you know, any player and us on contract we keep between us, the agent, and the player," said Morey before training camp.

In the days leading up to the deadline, Thybulle's representatives were reportedly engaging in negotiations with Philadelphia's front office. According to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, the discussions were described as "brief." 

When the deadline finally approached, Thybulle and the Sixers didn't agree to new terms. Therefore, it became clear that the All-Defensive selection would become a restricted free agent in 2023.

76ers head coach Doc Rivers didn't have much to say regarding Thybulle's inability to land an extension from the Sixers before the start of the 2022-2023 season. But his brief message to the young veteran made it clear that he needs to get Philly's front office to buy back into him as a player.

"At the end of the day, you walk out onto the floor, you have to play, you have to perform," said Rivers, according to Sixers Wire's Ky Carlin. "It's a performance business, and when you do that, everything takes care of itself."

Thybulle has proven to be one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA, but his lack of offensive weapons makes it difficult for the Sixers to rely on him as a steady rotational player.

The former Washington standout showed promising signs of offensive development in training camp and the preseason, but a crowded rotation for the Sixers will make minutes hard to come by on a nightly basis for Thybulle. 

The Sixers will utilize Thybulle in 2022-2023, allowing him to prove to the Sixers or other interested teams that he's worth a long-term contract. But as Rivers said, it's a performance-based business, and Thybulle has a lot to prove. 

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.