Sixers Will Land Hornets' Jalen McDaniels in Thybulle Deal

The Sixers pick up a new wing in Jalen McDaniels after trading away Matisse Thybulle.

The Philadelphia 76ers have found a trade suitor to scoop up their defensive standout, Matisse Thybulle. After weeks of trade speculation as a third of the league reportedly showed interest in the former first-round pick, Thybulle has found a new home with the Portland Trail Blazers, a source confirms to All76ers.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the deal is a three-team trade involving the Charlotte Hornets as the other suitor. In the deal, the Blazers receive Thybulle. The Hornets land a 2023 second-round pick, while the Sixers will get two second-round picks along with Jalen McDaniels. According to numerous reports, the framework of the deal is not yet finalized, as other teams could get involved.

McDaniels lands on the Sixers in the midst of his fourth season in the NBA. After spending two seasons at San Diego State, McDaniels landed on the Hornets in the second round of the 2019 NBA Draft. He was the 52nd overall pick at the time.

Through his first three seasons in the NBA, McDaniels came off the bench for 98 of the 118 games he appeared in. Spending an average of 18 minutes on the floor, McDaniels averaged seven points, three rebounds, and one assist while knocking down 36 percent of his threes.

This season, McDaniels has played a career-high 27 minutes per game. As a result, he’s putting up career numbers in the scoring, rebounding, and assists department, as he’s responsible for 11 points, five rebounds, and two assists per game. While putting up an average of four threes per game, McDaniels has knocked down 32 percent of his shots from beyond the arc.

The veteran wing has been productive on defense this year. In the 56 games he’s appeared in, McDaniels has blocked 0.9 percent of his opponent's shots, which ranks in the 90th percentile for the wing position, according to Cleaning the Glass. Also, he’s rebounded on 13.8 percent of possessions on defense, according to Cleaning the Glass. 

Currently, the 25-year-old wing is playing on an exercised team option, according to Spotrac. He’s getting paid $1.9 million for the year and is set to become a free agent at the end of the season.

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