Blazers Wing Expected to Net First Round Pick in New Trade Pitch

The Portland vet could be on the move this season. And, frankly, he should be.

Jan 26, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan (10) drives to the basket between Portland Trail Blazers guards Matisse Thybulle (4) and Anfernee Simons (1) during the second half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports / Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports

After finishing a miserable 21-61 run last year, and with such an appetizing slate of 2025 NBA Draft prospects awaiting them next summer, the Portland Trail Blazers seem primed to keep bottoming out in 2024-25.

Finally, team general manager Joe Cronin at least seems to be quite aware of this. To wit, he offloaded the expiring $22.5 million contract of veteran point guard Malcolm Brogdon, in exchange for future draft equity and recent lottery pick swingman Deni Avdija.

Read More: Will Traded Former Blazer Finish Career with New Team?

It's pretty clear Cronin needs to keep going. Keeping veteran former All-Defensive Team small forward Matisse Thybulle around would hardly match the Trail Blazers' timeline. Thybulle inked a three-season, $33.1 million contract with the Trail Blazers ahead of the 2023-24 season. The final year of the agreement, covering 2025-26, is an $11.6 million player option.

Chris Dodson of ClutchPoints, for one, doesn't think Thybulle is long for Portland.

"Matisse Thybulle keeps playing well just to be cast off to the wayside once things really get interesting," Dodson notes. "The Boston Celtics selected Thybulle in 2019 just to reroute the rookie to the Philadelphia 76ers. Portland picked up the two-time NBA All-Defense Second Team member in a four-team deal [last] summer."

He makes a salient point. The 6-foot-5 vet, still just 27, is such a one-sided player that his limitations compelled even Team Australia to cut him from its roster ahead of the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Generally, non-Team USA Olympic squads can ill afford to turn away NBA-caliber talent. And yet, the Boomers did exactly that.

Read More: Trail Blazers News: Portland Vet Shockingly Cut from Olympic Team Roster

The 6-foot-5 vet, still just 27, averaged a scant 5.4 points on a middling .397/.346/.759 slash line, 2.1 rebounds, 1.7 steals, 1.4 assists, and 0.7 blocks a night across 65 games (19 starts), in 22.9 minutes per. How are those stats worth a first round draft selection, even a non-lottery one? He remains an elite defender, and on a team with the kinds of scoring weapons that could offset his issues as an offensive contributor, perhaps Thybulle is at least worth a flier. Time will tell.

"Bold prediction: Thybulle is moved to a team with a winning record at the trade deadline for a first-round pick or swap option and prospects," Dodson concludes.

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