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Sean Highkin: My favorite memory of Matisse’ time here was when he came in the locker room excited to show us his new watch, and it was a $15 Casio digital watch with a Velcro strap. He thought it was the coolest thing in the world that you could cycle through time zones with a button. One of the most thoughtful and interesting dudes I’ve ever covered. I wish he wasn’t injured as much as he was so he could have done more press conferences because those were always a trip.
Shams Charania: Free agent forward Matisse Thybulle has agreed on one-year, $3.3 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, sources tell ESPN.
Shams Charania: Thybulle, a two-time All-Defense team member, spoke with JJ Redick and Luka Doncic about the Lakers desire to sign him and his role during free agency and chose the opportunity on Monday. Thybulle shot 41.8% from 3 over the last two years across 45 games -- and led the NBA in steals and deflections per 36 minutes last season among players to play at least 20 contests, per ESPN Research.
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The Lakers are still monitoring the market for big men, team sources told The Athletic. They traded for Walker Kessler and signed Kevon Looney to play center, and Sandro Mamukelashvili can play the position, too. The team could address the position either by trade or signing, like with potentially adding Matisse Thybulle. The roster is currently at full capacity.
Marc Stein: The Lakers have again broadened their search for perimeter defense, league sources say, registering interest this week in free agent Matisse Thybulle. They have already added Ziaire Williams while also continuing to pursue Jonathan Kuminga. More NBA: tinyurl.com/y2a9b8p6
Bobby Marks: Some context on the Quinten Post offer sheet in Memphis. * Last time a player signed an offer sheet of $5M+ per season was Matisse Thybulle with Dallas in 2023. * Last time an offer sheet went unmatched was 2020 (Bogdan Bogdanovic with Sacramento/Atlanta)
The Blazers’ 15-man regular season roster features 10 players under guaranteed contract and two more — Vit Krejčí and Sidy Cissoko — with team options. The Blazers are expected to exercise both team options, giving them 12 players under contract. This leaves them with three unrestricted free agents: Robert Williams III, Matisse Thybulle and Blake Wesley. A team source told The Oregonian/OregonLive earlier this month the Blazers have interest in retaining all three players “if the deal makes sense.” And Williams, in particular, should be a priority.
Matisse Thybulle on his looming free agency: “I don’t have expectations. I don’t really know how the whole proper free agency thing goes. I was a restricted free agent before, but this is very different. Expectations? Don’t have any, don’t know what to expect. But I would love to be a part of this team again. Like I said, great group with a lot of potential. Good people. I talk about this with, like, my friends and even the older players on the team who’ve been traded; I don’t know if everyone on this team fully realizes how good of a group we really have, because you can get a couple bad eggs that spoil it for everyone. But we don’t have anything close to that. And just the level of care and just the quality of character we have in our locker room is something that’s really nice to be a part of. So, me personally, I would love to be here and continue growing with this team. But, like I said, no expectations.”
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Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: When you’re locked in on defense, is it more about raw physical instinct, or are you playing a mental chess match with your opponent? Matisse Thybulle: I think it’s a little bit of both. I think a lot of it is instinct that you accumulate over years like, it’s understanding how the game is going to go or knowing guys’ tendencies. And the other part is trying to read people. I’m willing to take more in situations and know that I have the upper hand intellectually where I feel that I know what they’re trying to do even though that they’re not telegraphing it and then playing out of that, I have an upper hand that they may not realize.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: You were one of the first to really lean into the “vlog” style in the Bubble. When you look at guys like Jared McCain having such a viral presence on social media now, how do you reflect on your own digital journey? Matisse Thybulle: I do appreciate the baby steps that me and some of the other guys took in COVID-19 during the bubble and all that; as far as putting ourselves out there in social media in new and unique ways I think it paved the way for kids like him go and take up such a viral presence on TikTok and whatever apps out there. Me personally, I feel like I did my thing and I don’t really want to get more out of I don’t want that kind of attention anymore so it’s nice to see other people doing it in their way and getting the attention they want for it.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: You’ve developed a real passion for photography. Does having that outlook behind the camera help you proportion the views of life as an NBA player? Matisse Thybulle: Just having a life outside of basketball. It’s a good balancing agent, and not just of life but hobbies. I think for a long time it was encouraged that guys didn’t have passion outside of basketball because some people believed that whatever you weren’t pouring into basketball was energy or attention lost but for me it’s allowed me to get more because when I can step away and completely step away, I think I can gain more as far was what I can bring when I come back into the game. So whether it’s photography, videos, painting, writing… Having these outlets helped me reset in a way where I feel that I show up better for basketball.
Sean Highkin: Vit Krejci is playing vs. the Kings, Tiago Splitter says. He’ll be on a minutes limit to ramp up for the play-in. Matisse Thybulle is a full go.
