The Los Angeles Lakers wisely signed Matisse Thybulle to a one-year minimum contract to fill their need for wing defenders. He is elite at generating steals and has quietly developed a strong 3-point shot. Luka Doncic is known for maximizing 3-and-D wings. Thybulle feels like the perfect on-paper option for LA’s starting five, but his injury history and track record will force the Lakers to watch his minutes closely. That is much easier to do in a reserve role.
Thybulle has played just 45 games in the last two seasons combined. His right knee injuries are most concerning long-term. The 29-year-old has never played more than 25.5 minutes per game in his seven years in the NBA. His offensive limitations held him back early in his career, but Thybulle has shot 41.1 percent from 3-point range over his last 141 attempts. If the shot is real, there is no reason to take him off the floor.
Thybulle made the All-Defensive team twice and is a menace on that end of the floor. The Lakers need a disruptor to replace Marcus Smart. This is the ideal match. Fans should see an even better version of Thybulle, but head coach JJ Redick should bring him off the bench and watch his minutes closely.
Matisse Thybulle can’t handle starter’s minutes
Thybulle has started 124 of his 377 career NBA games. He only stuck in the opening group for more than 28 games over a full season once. Even in the 2021-22 campaign where he made 50 starts, Thybulle averaged just 25.5 minutes per game.
Add in the recent injuries and there is no reason to think the 6’5 wing can suddenly play 30-plus every night. He has played more than 30 minutes just 57 times and only three instances in the last two years.
Coach Redick has to strike a balance here. The Lakers want to maximize Thybulle’s impact without running him into the ground. The best ability in the NBA is availability. Los Angeles has to do whatever it can to keep him on the floor. That means limiting his minutes and using him situationally.
The purple and gold need Thybulle on the floor and making an impact when the games matter most. They should take a page out of the Thunder’s handbook to get there.
Lakers should follow Thunder’s Alex Caruso blueprint with Matisse Thybulle
Caruso may be the most impactful role player on the Thunder. He can guard multiple positions, change the game defensively, and make shots. The Lakers want Thybulle to make a similar impact in the playoffs, so they should follow OKC’s lead.
Caruso has played under 20 minutes per game and made just three regular-season starts since arriving in Oklahoma City. He hasn’t appeared in more than 56 games in a year. The Thunder save Caruso to expand his impact in the playoffs.
OKC doesn’t win the championship in 2025 without him. Caruso shot 41.1 percent from 3-point range and made a massive defensive impact.
Thybulle may be a step below Caruso on defense, but the Lakers should keep his minutes down during the regular season to get the most out of him in the playoffs.
Lakers have training camp battle to fill starting five
Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and Walker Kessler are locked in as starters. The new-look Lakers are having an open competition for the other two spots. Reaves praised Thybulle and Ziaire Williams as the two biggest defensive standouts. Coach Redick is preaching defense, so that will factor into who opens games.
The Lakers should go with Williams and Quentin Grimes to round out their starting five. This lets Redick manage Thybulle’s minutes. He can close games and fit his 20-ish a night in when LA needs them the most. If Thybulle starts, it is difficult to keep his playing time down and use him in all the right situations.
Thybulle’s defense and shot-making make him the best option to start, but the Los Angeles Lakers should go in a different direction. The 29-year-old cannot play 30-plus minutes every night. The organization has to watch his playing time closely. That means coming off the bench and being rested in certain situations.
The goal is to have Thybulle healthy and playing his best in the playoffs. Los Angeles can only do that if they take precautions in the regular season. The starting group will survive without Matisse, and the entire franchise will be thankful for the sacrifices when the 6’5 wing is making an impact in the playoffs. The long-term vision should outweigh the short-term gains.
Add us as a preferred source on Google