The Philadelphia 76ers have plenty on their plate while the LeBron James sweepstakes play out, but that shouldn’t be the end of the front office’s work. Even with that chase front and center, the roster still needs more polish, especially on the defensive side. That’s why it stands out that the team has not shown any public interest in bringing back Matisse Thybulle.
Thybulle spent three-and-a-half seasons with the 76ers and picked up a couple of All-Defensive Team nods during that stretch. He has also found a surprisingly quiet market this time around. Recent reports have linked the Lakers as a possible suitor, but beyond that, there has not been much noise about where the defensive wing might land.
The fit in Philadelphia is easy to see. Thybulle is still one of the NBA’s better one-on-one defenders, and he has also become a more useful offensive piece, hitting 37.1 percent from deep over the last three campaigns.
That kind of profile matters for a team built around so many shot creators. The 76ers have scorers who can make plays, but they are light on the kind of complementary defenders who can ease the burden on the stars.
The concern, of course, is availability. Thybulle has played in just 45 games over the last couple of seasons and missed 119 in that span, so injuries have clearly dragged down his value.
Even so, he is not expected to cost much on the open market. A minimum contract is a real possibility at this point, which makes Philadelphia’s lack of interest look even more puzzling.
That matters even more with the bench expected to lean heavily on backcourt scorers like Anfernee Simons and Labaron Philon Jr. Adding Thybulle would give that second unit a defensive edge and bring more balance to the rotation. For a team still trying to round out the roster, he looks like the kind of low-cost, high-fit move worth at least exploring.
The LeBron pursuit can stay the priority. But once that bidding war is over, the 76ers should have Thybulle on the list. Right now, overlooking a possible reunion with a former swingman who fills an obvious need feels strange.
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