The Los Angeles Lakers have signed shooting guard Matisse Thybulle of Scottsdale, Arizona according to Rogers Sportsnet on Monday. The terms of the deal are for one year and $3.3 million.
Thybulle was born in Scottsdale, Arizona. However, he moved to Sydney, Australia when he was one year old. Despite returning to the United States at the age of eight, Thybulle holds dual citizenship (United States and Australia) and represents Austria internationally. He was part of the Australian team that won the bronze medal in men’s basketball at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021.
Thybulle is joining his third National Basketball Association franchise. He was with the Philadelphia 76ers for four seasons from 2019 to 2023, and the Portland Trail Blazers for four additional seasons from 2023 to 2026. On February 9, 2023, Thybulle was part of a four-way blockbuster trade involving the New York Knicks, Trail Blazers, Charlotte Hornets and 76ers. The top player in the transaction was small forward Josh Hart of Silver Spring, Maryland, who ended up being an instrumental part of the Knicks team that won the 2026 NBA Finals.
This past season, Thybulle averaged 5.8 points per game. He missed four months of the season because of a thumb injury. Known for his defensive skillset, Thybulle was on the NBA’s Second All Defensive Team in 2020-21 and again in 2021-22. In 377 NBA regular season games, Thybulle has 603 steals and 295 blocks. This season in southern California, Thybulle is expected to be a backup for Austin Reaves.
