Lakers Agree to One-Year Deal with Forward Matisse Thybulle

The Los Angeles Lakers agreed Monday morning to a one-year, $3.3 million contract with free-agent forward Matisse Thybulle. Thybulle, 29, enters his eighth NBA season after the 2019 draft's 20th overall pick. He was the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year that season and earned All-Defensive second-team honors in 2021 and 2022 during his first 3½ seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Lakers will carry 16 guaranteed standard contracts once the deal is official, requiring them to trade or waive at least one player to reach the 15-player maximum before opening night in late October. Thybulle receives a $2.5 million cap hit under the veteran's minimum. Thybulle played 132 regular-season games and four playoff games for the Portland Trail Blazers after a 2023 trade.

He appeared in 65 games in 2023-24, missed most of 2024-25 with knee and ankle injuries, and played 30 games in 2025-26, including the final 26 after thumb surgery. In those 26 games he averaged 5.9 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 0.6 blocks in 16.6 minutes while shooting 37.9 percent from three.

Thybulle spoke with coach JJ Redick and Luka Doncic about his role and chose the Lakers to strengthen wing defense.

He led the NBA in steals and deflections per 36 minutes last season among players appearing in at least 20 games and shot 41. Thybulle discussed returning to Portland but said the team offered only non-guaranteed deals for most of free agency. The Lakers explored sign-and-trade options with the Trail Blazers that would have raised his salary, but no agreement was reached.

The Lakers also pursued unrestricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga without progress.