PHILADELPHIA–The Philadelphia 76ers traded up to Matisse Thybulle with the 20th pick in the 2019 NBA draft out of Washington hoping he would morph into the team’s 3-and-D player. While Thybulle did become one of the elite defenders in the game, the 3 aspect of it didn’t come through in Philadelphia.
Therefore, the Sixers sent Thybulle to the Portland Trail Blazers in what ended up being a four-team deal that sent Jalen McDaniels to Philadelphia from the Charlotte Hornets.
In 10 games with the Blazers, Thybulle is shooting 40.9% from deep entering Friday’s contest with the Sixers at the Wells Fargo Center. This marks his first game back in Philadelphia since the trade which is an unusually quick turnaround for a return after a trade, but Thybulle opened up on his time with the Sixers and his reaction to being traded to Portland.