With the Philadelphia 76ers becoming one of the latest teams to enter the 2022 NBA offseason, they have already been linked to a handful of rumors and mock trades as their team came up short of their goals once again.
Sixers wing Matisse Thybulle has seen his name kicked around a bit lately as recent rumors suggested that the Chicago Bulls are interested in potentially acquiring him should he become available.
But could the Sacramento Kings have an interest as well? Right now, there isn’t any indication that the Kings are looking to acquire Thybulle, but Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz suggested a trade between the Sixers and the Kings that could work. And Thybulle would be the headliner.
The Hypothetical Trade
In this mock trade, the Sixers would send out Matisse Thybulle and the veteran sharpshooter Furkan Korkmaz in exchange for Justin Holiday, Alex Len, and two 2022 second-round picks.
"If the Sixers don't feel they can pay him (especially with big contracts already owed to Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris and James Harden and Tyrese Maxey needing to be paid soon as well), they should try and trade Thybulle now with one year left on his rookie deal. Holiday gives Philly a solid wing defender to help offset the loss of Thybulle, and Len is an upgrade over DeAndre Jordan as a backup center. The Kings also send multiple 2022 second-round picks to the Sixers, who currently don't own a selection in the upcoming draft."
It’s unclear if the Sixers have changed their minds about Thybulle. Following the blockbuster trade that swapped Ben Simmons and James Harden back in February, it sounded like Thybulle was borderline untouchable in Philadelphia.
Considering Thybulle’s offense hasn’t improved much since he joined the Sixers back in 2019, the young wing should certainly be tradeable if the price is right. As for Korkmaz, his inconsistency has prevented him from earning a consistent role in Philly’s rotation. Perhaps, a fresh start elsewhere could be good for him.
In this scenario, the Kings would get plenty of help on the defensive end from Thybulle. Meanwhile, the Sixers would receive a reliable rotational piece in Holiday and another center to compete with guys like Paul Reed and Charles Bassey for the backup role behind Joel Embiid. Also, any draft compensation for the Sixers would be a plus, considering they currently don't own a pick this year.
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