Trail Blazers Extend Offer to Former 76er Matisse Thybulle

Matisse Thybulle could remain in Portland next season.
Trail Blazers Extend Offer to Former 76er Matisse Thybulle
Trail Blazers Extend Offer to Former 76er Matisse Thybulle /

The Portland Trail Blazers aren’t ready to cut ties with former Philadelphia 76ers wing Matisse Thybulle. After having Thybulle on board for roughly half a season, the Blazers will find Thybulle hitting the free agency market as a restricted prospect.

On Wednesday, Portland announced they were extending a qualifying offer to Thybulle. Therefore, Portland obtains the Right of First Refusal on any offer sheet Thybulle may sign with another team in free agency.

Not long ago, Thybulle was a standout for the Sixers. After getting selected 20th overall in the 2019 NBA Draft, Thybulle quickly carved out a role for himself on the Sixers as his defensive value was high.

During his rookie season, Thybulle appeared in 65 games and averaged 20 minutes on the floor. Over the next two seasons, he played in 131 games and collected 58 starts. After wrapping up the 2022 playoff run on a low note, Thybulle appeared to be on a much shorter leash with former Sixers head coach Doc Rivers throughout the 2022-2023 season.

Prior to his run with the Blazers, Thybulle appeared in 49 games for the 76ers. He averaged fewer than 18 minutes on the court for the first time in his career. With just 12 minutes per game, Thybulle struggled to produce as he averaged just three points, one assist, and one steal.

At the trade deadline, Thybulle was a key piece in a multi-team deal, which landed the Sixers former Charlotte Hornets wing, Jalen McDaniels. The 76ers hoped McDaniels would come in to offer more two-way versatility than Thybulle.

Meanwhile, the former Sixer hit his stride in Portland. By starting in 22 games, Thybulle averaged seven points, one assist, four rebounds, and two steals per game. While he didn’t get an opportunity to play in the postseason, as Portland came up short, the Blazers seem to have an interest in bringing Thybulle back for another run as they look to get back into playoff contention next year. 


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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Title: Credentialed writer/reporter covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation Email: JustinGrasso32@Gmail.com Location: Philadelphia, PA Expertise: Reporting, insight, and analysis on the Sixers and the NBA  Justin Grasso is a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation.  Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writer’s Association.  Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoNBA