The Los Angeles Lakers are still linked to Atlanta Hawks free agent Jonathan Kuminga, but a new forward target has emerged.
The Lakers are linked to Matisse Thybulle, who has been with the Portland Trail Blazers over the last three years, as a possible alternative to Kuminga.
LA is locked in a stalemate with Kuminga’s representatives and the Hawks as they try to negotiate a sign-and-trade to free up money for the former Golden State Warriors lottery pick.
However, the Lakers and Kuminga are apart in money, while the Hawks and Lakers remain apart in a sign-and-trade, leaving the Lakers to consider alternatives.
At the forward position, the Lakers have limited depth — Sandro Mamukelashvili will factor in, along with Adou Thiero in at least a small role, but other than those two, there are few players with size and speed to play the power forward or even small forward spot.
Naturally, that leaves a nice gap for Kuminga to slot into as a starter and someone who can eat a good bulk of minutes at either forward spot.
In case a Kuminga deal is not possible, the Lakers are seemingly doing their due diligence on Thybulle, sniffing out how much a contract will cost, per NBA insider Marc Stein.
“The Lakers have again broadened their search for perimeter defense, league sources say, registering interest this week in free agent Matisse Thybulle,” Stein reports.
What does Thybulle bring to the Lakers?
Thybulle has made two NBA All-Defensive teams. He, when moving well and healthy, can be one of the best defenders in basketball.
As a forward, he offers rim protection — averaging at least 0.5 blocks in all but one season — and a ton of steals — averaging at least 1.2 steals in all but one season.
However, he has been quite injury-prone recently in his career. He has played just 25 games over the last two years in Portland.
Additionally, he has only played more than 66 games in a year once, coming in 2022-2023.
This injury record, along with his limited offensive role as a below-average shooter, is why Thybulle is a flier on the forward market.
The Lakers do have success with these kinds of guys, Marcus Smart being the latest example of a player with injury and offensive questions who figured things out with JJ Redick.
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