Sacramento Kings Reportedly Have Interest In Philly’s Matisse Thybulle

After making a few big-time moves at the trade deadline last season, the Sacramento Kings improved as a team. They’ve carried some of that momentum into this season and have a 28-21 record which is currently third in the Western Conference. Looking like a sure playoff contender at this moment, rumors are circulating that the Kings are eyeing up a defensive specialist in the trade market. 

In the past we’ve heard rumblings of the Kings being interested in the 76er’s Matisse Thybulle. Now, NBA insiders have put some truth to this rumor and there is some traction to this potential deal going down. Thybulle’s role with the Sixers this season is at a career-low and a change of scenery may be the best thing for him.

California Sports Betting sites have the Kings at (+6600) to win the Finals this season.

.@MatisseThybulle in six mins of play: 7 PTS | 2 STL | 1 AST pic.twitter.com/lnGiVf2ijF

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) January 31, 2023

Kings keeping an eye on Matisse Thybulle ahead of the trade deadline

Matisse Thybulle is in his fourth season with the Philadelphia 76ers and is struggling to see consistent minutes in Doc Rivers’ rotation. It’s a career-low season for him in points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, and minutes played per game. That is in large part to his (12.1) minutes per game this season. He’d played (25.5) and (20.0) minutes per in the pervious two seasons.

With the trade deadline quickly approaching on 2/9, NBA insider Marc Stein gave his insights as to what he’s heard regarding the Kings interest in trading for Thybulle. Here’s what he reported.

“Sacramento is said to be monitoring the availability of Philadelphia’s Matisse Thybulle as the Kings, unexpectedly holding the West’s No. 3 seed after a league-record 16 consecutive seasons out of the playoffs, ponder the pursuit of a more defensive-minded option on the perimeter.” – Marc Stein

He also noted that Kings sources have stated that many other teams around the league are interested in Sacramento’s Richaun Holmes if he becomes a buyout candidate. The Kings would be trading for Thybulle and they’d be getting a defensive specialist who still has plenty of room to grow on the offensive end.

Thybulle is a two-time all-defensive player in his career and he knows what he does well. At six-foot five, he has guard skills and has the length of a SF type of player. If the Kings were to trade for him, he could be mentored by players like Domantas Sabonis, De’Aaron Fox, and Harrison Barnes. Sacramento are trying to make the playoffs for the first time in 16 seasons and are in good position to do so at third in the West right now.