Lakers Receive Promising Update on Potential Summer Steal Matisse Thybulle

Before the Los Angeles Lakers signed Summer League standout Arthur Kaluma to a two-way contract and waived Peter Suder, the team made the move to bring in defensive-minded guard Matisse Thybulle on a one-year deal for the veteran minimum.

Even though the roster was already at 15 players, the Lakers agreed to the deal with Thybulle, which will require waiving or trading a player before the start of the 2026-27 season.

In the meantime, the biggest concern with Thybulle is the health of the veteran guard, who has played a total of 45 games over the last two seasons due to several different injuries, including knee surgery and ankle and thumb injuries.

Matisse Thybulle ‘Fully Healthy’ Heading to Start Stint With Lakers

According to Dan Woike of The Athletic, Thybulle is fully healthy ahead of his first season with the Lakers, which is obviously great news for Los Angeles.

The source said Thybulle is currently fully healthy.

When healthy, Thybulle is one of the best point-of-attack defenders in the NBA and has improved his game over the last few years into a legitimate threat from beyond the arc.

The Lakers have been looking for a 3-and-D player this summer, and Thybulle potentially checks all the boxes to be that kind of player they’ve been looking for and be an ideal veteran to share the floor with superstar Luka Doncic.

Thybulle will help stretch the floor while also helping fill the void left by one-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart, who chose to sign with the Houston Rockets in free agency this summer.

Matisse Thybulle Signing is Low-Risk, High-Reward for Lakers

Although the Lakers have been in hot pursuit of one-time NBA champion Jonathan Kuminga over the last few weeks, the Lakers didn’t hesitate to jump at the opportunity to sign Thybulle, even though the deal isn’t official as of yet.

Kuminga was thought to be the player who would address the need for a 3-and-D option on the roster. Even though the pursuit of Kuminga is rumored not to be over, with the team still trying to pitch him as a starter, Thybulle is a solid option and could thrive in Los Angeles next season.

With Thybulle playing on a veteran minimum contract, he’s basically heading into a prove-it year with the Lakers, which benefits the team greatly, as he’ll be highly motivated to stay healthy and play at a high level during the 2026-27 campaign.

Thybulle has made the All-NBA Defensive Second Team twice during his career and can really help the Lakers on that end of the floor if he stays healthy. He could become the team’s biggest steal of the summer, much like Smart was last year.

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