Matisse Thybulle’s move to the Los Angeles Lakers is looking better by the week, and worse for the Portland Trail Blazers.
The former Blazer left in free agency for a one-year, $3.3 million deal, and early returns have made that contract look like a bargain. Through seven games, Thybulle is putting up a career-high 9.0 points per game while also adding 1.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.9 steals. Even more eye-catching, he’s hitting 48.4 percent of his 4.4 three-point attempts per game, both of those marks also career bests.
The shooting will almost certainly come back down as the season goes on, but the start has been loud enough to make the price tag stand out. For a player who can defend and space the floor, that kind of production on a $3.3 million deal is hard to ignore.
Portland knows the value Thybulle can bring when he’s on the floor. His time with the Blazers never really got on track because of injuries, and he managed only 45 games across his final two seasons in Portland. Still, when he was available, he flashed the kind of two-way impact the Blazers could use right now.
That need is obvious. Portland doesn’t have much behind its top options on the wing, with Sidy Cissoko standing as the only dependable bench piece there. Vit Krejci, described as a “sharpshooter,” has also been cold since arriving from Portland at last year’s trade deadline.
The roster picture gets even thinner from there. After waiving forward Jeremy Sochan, the Blazers don’t currently have anyone occupying the final spot on their 15-man roster.
It’s fair to ask how much of Thybulle’s departure was actually in Joe Cronin’s hands. Maybe he simply wanted a fresh start, and after the way he’s opened the season in Los Angeles, that decision is easy to understand. But with Portland already thin on the wing and Thybulle now thriving for a rival, it’s hard not to see this as a missed opportunity.
The Lakers, meanwhile, have quietly added a useful piece around Luka Doncic without spending much at all. They already paid up to land Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz, giving Doncic the lob threat he likes to play with. Thybulle gives them something different, and something valuable: a two-way wing on the cheap.
Health is still part of the equation, but on the contract alone, this looks like a steal for Los Angeles.
Portland’s offseason has still gone well overall, especially with the Morant trade working better than expected before his injury. Even so, teams trying to make a real playoff push have to keep winning on the margins. Letting Thybulle walk hurts more now because it’s helping the Lakers, a team the Blazers could run into in the playoffs.
In Other News...
Blazers Rotation Battle Is Already Getting Hard To Ignore
The Trail Blazers kept rolling with a 112-90 win over the Jazz, their fourth victory in five games, and the night offered another snapshot of how crowded this rotation picture has become. Deni Avdija led Portland in scoring for the fourth straight game, Toumani Camara kept spacing the floor with his 3-point touch, and Jrue Holiday gave the second unit a lift in a performance that stood out as the team continues to sort out its best combinations.
Not every piece fit as cleanly. Donovan Clingan ran into foul trouble, while Vit Krejci had a rough shooting night, reminders that the Blazers are still working through the details even as the results improve. With Ja Morant sidelined by a Grade 2 hamstring strain, Portlands recent stretch has only sharpened the competition for minutes, and the way this group balances production, defense and lineup fit is becoming harder to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Scoot Henderson Trade Talk Just Got Real For The Blazers
The Hornets early-season shakeup has already put the trade market on alert, and it could have ripple effects for Portland. Charlottes move to send LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to Minnesota for Naz Reid and multiple draft picks left the roster in a very different place, and with a 3-4 record, the Hornets may not be done dealing before the February deadline.
For the Trail Blazers, the name to watch is Scoot Henderson. Portland could emerge as a potential trade partner if Charlotte decides to move Reid, with the idea of Henderson heading the other way in a deal that would address needs for both sides. Nothing is imminent, but the possibility alone is enough to make this one worth tracking as the deadline picture starts to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Blazers Defense Faces Its Toughest Early Test In Denver
The Trail Blazers head into Denver for the first of four meetings in the season series, and the matchup arrives with one of the leagues more interesting early contrasts. Portland has leaned on a defense that has been especially sharp at limiting second-chance opportunities, while the Nuggets have built a reputation for punishing teams when possessions extend and the ball stays alive around the rim.
Cleaning The Glass numbers point to a clash of strengths that could shape the tone of the series right away, with Portland trying to keep Denver from turning missed shots into easy extra points. The historical backdrop only adds to the intrigue, since these teams know each other well and both enter this stretch with current-season form that makes every possession feel a little more important than usual. [Read more 🡒]