One of the bigger topics since the start of training camp has been who will round out the Los Angeles Lakers' starting lineup.
We already know the backcourt belongs to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, and on the front line they plan on having Walker Kessler. This leaves both forward spots open.
The candidates for those two positions are Matisse Thybulle, Ziaire Williams, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and Quentin Grimes. Because Kessler and AR missed last night's preseason opener against the Sacramento Kings, Williams, Grimes, and Thybulle all got the chance to start.
Of the bunch, Thybulle didn’t have the strongest counting stats, but he made the strongest case to start and left the best first impression.
Matisse Thybulle impresses in Lakers' preseason debut
That Lakers absolutely routed the Sacramento Kings from start to finish on Monday, winning 127-103. Thybulle finished with six points, one assist, and two steals, shooting 2-of-6 from the field and 2-of-4 from deep.
This is no shade to Williams or Grimes, as they both played well and left a strong impression in their first games in purple and gold. Williams, in particular, went 3-of-3 from beyond the arc, but the intensity and activity Thybulle showed are exactly what this team needs next to Luka and AR.
Thybulle walled off Kings players all night on drives, jumping passing lanes while deflecting passes, intercepting like a cornerback, and setting the tone from the point of attack. Offensively, he was patient, let the game come to him, and, most importantly, was efficient from three.
Lakers need Matisse Thybulle's menacing presence
We’ve talked about it for so long: how the Lakers needed to surround Luka with players whose primary focus is getting stops. That’s exactly who Thybulle is.
One aspect of the Lakers' roster construction that's been poked fun at is how much of their defensive success hinges on Kessler. While it's mostly playful trolling, there is some truth to it. One way to change that would be for Thybulle to pick up opposing ball handlers to start games.
Sure, it may slightly impact the Lakers offense. I still am all for a forward who can handle the rock and make a play next to LA’s star guard. But it feels like they need someone strictly out there to be a tone setter defensively and a connector on offense.
Monday night, Thybulle showed exactly how low-maintenance he is on offense, getting his looks in the flow of the offense and taking open shots when he has them. The fun wrinkle with him is that as he gets further into his career, he is only becoming a more reliable floor-spacing threat.
Last season, in 30 games with the Portland Trail Blazers, he shot 39.8 percent from 3-point on over three attempts per game. In his 132 games played for Portland over the last four years, he’s shot 37.4 percent from downtown.
While he doesn’t shoot the 3-ball at an unbelievable volume, you don’t want too many high-volume players in the Lakers' starting five taking shots away from Luka and AR. Pairing his ability to hit the outside jumper with his defensive impact would give LA the type of 3-and-D player fans have been begging for.
I’m not sure where JJ Redick plans on going with the lineup ahead of opening night after saying two spots were open just a few weeks ago. But after that preseason opener in Sacramento, it feels like Thybulle should have an early edge.
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