Matisse Thybulle Shows Off Improved Handles in Workout Video
The upcoming NBA season will be crucial for Philadelphia 76ers veteran Matisse Thybulle.
Although the Sixers exercised their team option on Thybulle’s contract last October, the veteran’s future in Philadelphia beyond the 2022-2023 season remains unclear.
Just a season ago, Thybulle was often regarded as a highly valuable player in the eyes of Philly’s front office. As the Sixers engaged in trade talks with the Brooklyn Nets back in February, Philly’s President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey spoke about Thybulle as if he’s untouchable.
Fast forward to the 2022 offseason, and many wonder if Thybulle will finish the season with the Sixers. Defensively, Thybulle is recognized as one of the league’s best on the perimeter.
Since joining the Sixers via the 2019 NBA Draft, the former Washington standout could carve out a role for himself as his defense was too valuable to let it go to waste.
Philly hoped that Thybulle’s offense would grow as the years passed, but he remained limited offensively beyond his rookie effort. At this point, Thybulle’s 2022-2023 season might be make or break. As Thybulle needs to show improvements on offense, it looks like he’s doing a lot of work on his handles in the offseason.
Better dribbling and an improved three-point shot could do wonders for Thybulle’s game. After averaging 35 percent from beyond the arc during his rookie season, Thybulle failed to average over 32 percent the following two years.
While he put up a career-high average of 5.7 points per game last season, Thybulle’s inability to create points on offense often made it difficult for Doc Rivers to play him down the stretch of the year. And when the playoffs rolled around, he became borderline unplayable.
Even a slight boost on offense could be great for Thybulle and the Sixers, as the two-time NBA All-Defensive Second Team member needs to demonstrate value on both sides of the court to maintain a steady role throughout the year.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.
