Lakers Add Matisse Thybulle After Talks With Luka Doncic, JJ Redick
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The Los Angeles Lakers have reached a one-year agreement with defensive specialist Matisse Thybulle, adding the 29-year-old wing to head coach JJ Redick’s revamped roster, league sources said.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Thybulle spoke directly with Luka Doncic and Redick during free agency. Those conversations outlined the Lakers’ vision for an enhanced perimeter defense and Thybulle’s projected role in that plan, leading the two-time All-Defensive selection to accept Los Angeles’ offer.
Thybulle, who spent the past two seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, has appeared in only 45 games over that span because of injuries but finished the 2023-24 campaign healthy. The Lakers believe added depth will allow them to manage minutes across an 82-game schedule.
His arrival follows other offseason additions focused on defense, including Walker Kessler, Quentin Grimes and Ziaire Williams. Offensively, the club has bolstered scoring with Collin Sexton and Sandro Mamukelashvili.
With Thybulle on board, the Lakers now have 16 players on guaranteed contracts. NBA rules require teams to trim to 15 before opening night, leaving Los Angeles facing a decision that could involve a trade or a waiver with a dead-cap charge.
Source: LakersNation.com
