The 2019 NBA Draft saw the Philadelphia 76ers move from the No. 24 slot to No. 20 to select Washington forward Matisse Thybulle. The front office framed the move as a response to a perceived need for an athletic perimeter defender among the Eastern Conference’s wing-heavy talent pool.

Thybulle’s defensive contributions in Philadelphia were immediate and specific. He posted 1.1 blocks per game in both the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, a rare figure for a wing player, and added 1.5 steals per game during his tenure. Those numbers underscored his ability to protect the rim and disrupt passing lanes, fitting the defensive identity the Sixers prized.

Offensively, Thybulle never became a reliable scoring option. Over 245 games in 31⁄2 seasons, he averaged 4.4 points, 1.8 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 0.8 blocks per game. The modest point total and limited rebounding reflected a role that centered on defense rather than scoring, and the lack of a consistent three-point shot kept him from evolving into a true 3-and-D player for Philadelphia.

At the 2023 trade deadline, the Sixers packaged Thybulle in a four-team deal that sent him to the Portland Trail Blazers and brought Jalen McDaniels to Philadelphia. In Portland, Thybulle’s three-point shooting improved, as he hit 37.4 percent from deep across 132 games. The uptick suggests that a change of scenery helped unlock a facet of his game that never materialized in Philly.

The experiment illustrates the risk of betting heavily on a single skill set. Philadelphia’s willingness to trade up for a defensive specialist highlighted an organizational belief that development staff could shape a more complete player. While Thybulle’s rim protection and versatility added value, the stagnant offensive progression ultimately limited his fit in the Sixers’ playoff rotations. The trade for Jalen McDaniels signaled a shift toward players who could contribute on both ends, leaving Thybulle’s defensive promise as a lesson in balancing talent acquisition with realistic development timelines.