Sixers Couldn’t Land Matisse Thybulle in 2019 NBA Re-Draft

Back in 2019, the Philadelphia 76ers were entering a critical season. After falling short to the Toronto Raptors in the second round of the playoffs, the Sixers thought their 2019-2020 run would have to be championship or bust.

During the 2019 NBA Draft, the Sixers hoped to land an immediate rotational player with their selection. At the time, the Sixers' front office was led by the team's current General Manager, Elton Brand, who was making the final decision on their selection that season.

Brand and the Sixers were heavily linked to Washington product Matisse Thybulle. After playing in the NCAA for four seasons, Thybulle established himself as one of the most dominant perimeter defenders coming out of college.

The Sixers hoped Thybulle would drop to the 24th pick in the draft, but they realized that a trade-up was the logical move to secure their selection. The Sixers swapped with the Boston Celtics and moved up to acquire Thybulle.

Looking back, Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey assumes that Thybulle would go much higher if NBA front offices could do the 2019 NBA Draft all over again.

Where Would Thybulle Land?

In the 2019 Re-Draft, Thybulle cracks the top ten, putting him on the Atlanta Hawks.

"For his career, Matisse Thybulle has averaged only 4.8 points and hit 32.4 percent of his three-point attempts. Based on that alone, it would be impossible to justify his top-10 selection in the re-draft.

But few players here benefit more from the eye test than Thybulle. And when you watch him play, it's clear that he's an absolute menace on defense."

Through his first two seasons in the NBA, Thybulle's defense has earned him tons of praise around the league. However, the narrative shifted a bit during year three. Thybulle's offensive struggles continued beyond his sophomore effort, overshadowing his defensive value lately.

A lack of offensive growth doesn't take away from the fact that Thybulle cracked the NBA All-Defensive Second Team over the last two seasons. And as long as Thybulle's defense remains sharp, he'll continue to have a role on any team, as perimeter defense is essential in today's NBA.

Who Could the Sixers Grab?

With Thybulle out of the picture, the Sixers would likely stay where they were at with the 24th overall pick. In this case, they would snag former LSU big man Naz Reid.

Reid spent just one season at LSU in 2018-2019. He appeared in 34 games and averaged 13 points and seven rebounds. After a successful freshman season, Reid entered the 2019 NBA Draft. Unfortunately for him, he went undrafted.

These days, Reid remains with the Minnesota Timberwolves after initially signing a two-way contract with them after going undrafted. Since being in the league, Reid has appeared in 177 games, averaging nine points and four rebounds.

He doesn't carry the same accolades as Thybulle, but perhaps Reid could've solved the Sixers' question mark at the backup center spot behind Joel Embiid.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.