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Regardless of whether they get LeBron James or not, the Philadelphia 76ers will enter the 2026-27 season as one of the definitive favorites to win the title on the strength of their uber-talented nucleus. That being said, this team is far from a finished product. Perimeter defense and 3-point shooting remain points of concern, and to that effect, the Lakers just pulled the rug from under them as they snatched an ideal free agent in Matisse Thybulle.
Thybulle, a former 76er, is heading to the Lakers
Thybulle, who spent the last few seasons as the resident 3-and-D guard in Portland, has reportedly signed a one-year, $3.3 million contract with the Lakers, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. Now, Los Angeles has bolstered its roster with someone who can help patch their obvious lack of reliable perimeter defenders.
The 76ers could have easily been the ones to snag Thybulle in the open market, though. Aside from the fact that he ended up costing just chump change, the team had an actual need for someone of his ilk. Instead, they missed out on one of the better free agents still available prior to this deal.
The Lakers just stole an ideal 76ers free agent target in Matisse Thybulle
Sure, there were probably some aspects that proved to be too risky for the 76ers to absorb in a reunion with Thybulle. Availability tops the list, as the Aussie wing had appeared in just 45 contests over the last couple of seasons and had missed 119 outings in the regular season during that span.
Thybulle's lack of offense is likely another turn-off for the 76ers. He certainly has no other contributions on the offensive end aside from being a low-volume spot-up shooter, and with a more dynamic roster this time around, the front office might not have felt comfortable pursuing someone who is negligible on that end for the most part.
Still, one could argue that Thybulle's indisputably solid defense is more than enough to pique Philly's interest. This is a two-time All-Defensive Team member after all, and if there is one team that knows this best, it is the 76ers.
This is not exactly a major blow for the 76ers, although it is definitely a huge missed opportunity. They could have had Matisse Thybulle to shore up their defense, but they chose not to. Now, the Lakers stand to benefit greatly from this huge bargain-bin deal.
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This article was originally published on thesixersense.com as 76ers caught napping as Lakers snatch free agent they quietly needed.
