For those wondering whether or not the Portland Trail Blazers would keep defensive-minded wing Matisse Thybulle in free agency, head coach Chauncey Billups has the answer.
“That’s the thought…” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups says of re-signing him, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Although there's no guarantee that Thybulle will re-sign with the Blazers when it comes to the business side of it all, Billups is clearly fond of the four-year pro. In 10 games with Portland, Thybulle has not only started in every game but averaged what would be a career-high 30.4 minutes per game if extrapolated for the entire season.
Though highly regarded as a disruptive defensive presence, Thybulle is also averaging 7.5 points per game on 40.9 percent shooting from 3-point range with the Blazers. His ability to fit into the 3-and-D archetype in the backcourt, particularly when assessing the defensive potential of volume scorers Damian Lillard and Anfernee Simons, is a fine change of pace for Portland.
Players like Cam Reddish and Shaedon Sharpe may be more highly touted because of their potential as two-way playmakers. Nonetheless, Billups makes it clear that Thybulle's focus on defense and unselfish play are valuable to him as well.
“He’s the type of guy that we like, that’s going to compete on the defensive end and is going to play a selfless game on the offensive end,” says Billups. “And he’s just a winning spirit.”
That’s certainly high praise from Billups, a former NBA player and champion that was as well-known for his defense and unselfishness as his penchant for hitting big shots.
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