The dark cloud hanging over Matisse Thybulle's head, with preseason basketball just around the corner for the Los Angeles Lakers, is health. Thybulle has only played 45 regular season games over his last two campaigns. The Lakers will be looking to put those troubles behind him.
Before the poor injury luck over the last two seasons, Thybulle had appeared in at least 65 games in each of his other NBA campaigns. That is the level which the Lakers should aspire to maintain and get him back to. Luckily for everyone involved, Matisse mentioned at Media Day a plan is in place.
"From the coaches to the training staff to RP [Rob Pelinka], they all have a good sense of what it is I need to be healthy and available. I really think that was just the missing piece, just having the plan around what's needed for my return to play and just to stay on the court."
If the Lakers manage to keep Thybulle on the floor for the majority of this season, there should be a lot to gain from his presence on the team. Matisse fits the wing needs of this group like a glove. Los Angeles will want to maximize every last bit of their partnership in the upcoming 2026-27 campaign.
Lakers' plan to keep Matisse Thybulle healthy should go a long way
The encouraging note for everyone is the Lakers just managed to do this with Marcus Smart last season. Smart arrived after only playing 54 regular season games between 2023-24 and 2024-25. The veteran guard appeared in a combined 72 games for Los Angeles, including the regular season and playoffs. In doing so, the former Defensive Player of the Year was a standout for the team.
Why can't lightning strike twice here?
A healthy version of Thybulle should be able to have great success with the Lakers. The former two-time All-Defensive Team member is exactly what Los Angeles needs on the perimeter. In the kindest way this could be interpreted: Matisse is a menace.
There has been a lot of talk about the Lakers wanting to create havoc on defense. Thybulle, who generated 2.0 steals in only 16.0 minutes per game last season, fits that vision better than anyone else in Los Angeles.
That should pave the way for a successful two-way season. Easy transition buckets will come his way when helping the Lakers create these turnovers. Even when the game slows down, Luka Doncic is there to give Thybulle a chance at continuing his statistical shooting success from the last few years.
An increased willingness to shoot the deep ball has shown up for him during his time with the Portland Trail Blazers. Granted, the majority of those looks are still coming on a low degree of difficulty from the perimeter. The Lakers will not be asking for much more than that, though.
Thybulle shot 3.1 attempts from beyond the arc in 2025-26. 1.7 of those were designated as what the NBA would consider to be wide open (defender is further than six feet away). That still does not erase Thybulle connecting on 44.0 percent of his open ones, and 39.8 overall.
If all goes right, Thybulle is poised to decisively outplay the value of his minimum contract. That all starts with simply being available.
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