The Philadelphia 76ers still have not gone past the second round in over two decades, and it may be one particular player taking the fall this time around.
Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice reported on Monday that 76ers guard Matisse Thybulle is not untouchable and that the team would entertain the idea of trading him this offseason. Neubeck adds that 76ers would not just dump Thybulle for salary-saving purposes however.
The 25-year-old Thybulle is under contract for the 2022-23 season (at an inexpensive $4.4 million) but will be a restricted free agent the following summer. He is a game-changer defensively who just made the NBA’s All-Defensive Second Team for the second consecutive year. But Thybulle’s offensive limitations, specifically his inability to hit the three consistently, lower the Sixers’ ceiling. The team as a whole suffered in their second round loss to the Miami Heat when Thybulle had to step in for the injured Danny Green. Philadelphia also went 2-1 in the first round during their games in Toronto where Thybulle was ineligible to play (due to being unvaccinated).
Thybulle still has what it takes to have a lengthy NBA career as a role player. But if that no longer takes place in Philadelphia, it may just take place on this NBA team that has already been linked to Thybulle.
