Aussie Olympic star signs $4.7m deal with NBA powerhouse
The Los Angeles Lakers have agreed to a one-year, $4.7 million contract with free agent forward Matisse Thybulle, ESPN reported.
Thybulle, 29, is a dual citizen of Australia and America, having lived in Sydney for several years during his childhood.
Matisse Thybulle playing for the Boomers. nna\mchurches
He represented Australia at the Tokyo Olympics, helping the Boomers win a bronze medal - the country’s first Olympic trophy in basketball.
Thybulle has appeared in just 45 NBA games over the last two seasons due to a rash of knee, ankle, hip and thumb injuries.
However, the former first-round pick was named to the second-team All-NBA defensive team in 2020-21 and 2021-22 with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Over 377 regular-season games across seven seasons with the 76ers (2019-23) and Portland Trail Blazers (2023-26), Thybulle has career averages of 5.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game.
He’s a career 34.9 per cent 3-point shooter, but he improved dramatically from his time with Philadelphia (32.5 per cent) to Portland (37.4 per cent) and made 41.1 per cent of his perimeter shots the last two seasons.
This signing would put the Lakers at 16 guaranteed contracts for the 2026-27 season, one above the roster limit.
The Lakers have also reportedly explored a sign-and-trade agreement with the Atlanta Hawks for Jonathan Kuminga, but ESPN reported those talks have not progressed any closer.
