Mavs BREAKING: Matisse Thybulle To Sign Offer Sheet to Move from Blazers to Dallas
DALLAS - The Dallas Mavericks started off with a bang in NBA free agency by re-signing Kyrie Irving to a three-year, $126 million deal. Now they are trying to make some noise in the restricted free agent market.
Portland forward Matisse Thybulle 'intends to sign an offer sheet' with the Mavs, which could help bolster Dallas' lackluster perimeter defense. The Mavs can utilize their $12.4 Mid-Level Exception on a defensive wing, which seems to be their plan here, as first noted by Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes on Wednesday.
As reported by NBA insider Marc Stein on Sunday, Portland, like Boston and their RFA Grant Williams, have been 'sending signals' to opposing teams that they plan to match 'any offer sheet for Thybulle' ... but you just never know if a team is bluffing - so, it seems like Dallas will attempt to call their bluff on Thursday.
Last season with both the Blazers and Philadelphia 76ers, Thybulle averaged 4.1 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game. Though, 22 games in Portland, Thybulle saw his numbers, and role, increase as he averaged 7.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.7 steals while shooting a career-best 38.8 percent from 3-point range on four attempts per game.
Thybulle, though not the trusted knockdown shooter that Dallas would like in a 3-and-D wing, brings a tenacity as a versatile perimeter defender that the Mavericks simply don't currently have on their roster. If Thybulle can replicate his shooting from the end of last season in Portland, if the Trail Blazers don't match, the Mavs may have just found a "get'' in free agency to follow up previous vet moves, which starting with Kyrie also include the acquisition of Seth Curry and Dante Exum and the retention of Dwight Powell.
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