Matisse Thybulle is officially headed to the Los Angeles Lakers, the team announced on Monday, giving the team a proven perimeter defender to its reshaped roster.
Thybulle, 29, is a two-time NBA All-Defensive Second Team selection, adding one of the league’s most disruptive defensive players to piece alongside Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves and new starting center Walker Kessler.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Thybulle spent last season with the Portland Trail Blazers, playing in 30 games off the bench while averaging 5.8 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals in 16.0 minutes per game.
He also shot 39.8% from 3-point range last season, developing into a consistent 3-and-D piece as he shot 41.8% comibied in the last two seasons. The only knock is he only played just 45 games the last two seasons.
So staying healthy is a question mark coming to L.A.
The Arizona native recorded multiple steals in 18 games last season and finished with at least one steal and one block in nine contests.
Since entering the NBA in 2019, Thybulle has established himself as one of basketball’s premier defensive specialists. He earned All-Defensive Second Team honors in 2021 and 2022 and has finished among the NBA’s top 20 in steals in four different seasons.
He is also one of only eight players to record at least 100 steals in three separate seasons since the start of the 2020-21 campaign. During that span, Thybulle ranks among the NBA’s top 10 guards in total steals.
Across 377 regular-season games, including 124 starts with Philadelphia and Portland, Thybulle has averaged 5.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.6 steals in 20.6 minutes per game.
Thybulle starred at the University of Washington, where he finished his collegiate career as the Huskies’ all-time steals leader and set the program’s single-season record with 126 steals as a senior. It made him the 20th overall pick in 2019.
He will wear No. 26 for the Lakers, last worn by Spencer Dinwiddie.