3 reasons why Cavs should consider Matisse Thybulle in 2019 NBA Draft

Washington Huskies Matisse Thybulle (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
Washington Huskies Matisse Thybulle (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images) /
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Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers Collin Sexton (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /

#2: A potential fit next to Sexton

Collin Sexton is getting better, and Dellavedova and (more recently), Brandon Knight should get some credit for mentoring the rookie in terms of Sexton’s decision-making and less-frantic play.

As former longtime King James Gospel contributor (and now SB Nation’s Fear The Sword writer) Jackson Flickinger has previously alluded to, Sexton has gotten much better as the year has gone on at changing speeds and setting up defenders, instead of just rushing into the paint as he did often earlier in the season.

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In addition, with a healthier Love on the floor with Sexton on most occasions since the All-Star break, Sexton has gotten better at setting up his teammates, and initiating ball swings, as we’ve previously illustrated here at KJG.

Though the assist numbers for Sexton (just 3.4 assists per 36 minutes, per Basketball Reference) don’t scream that he’s going to be a long-term starting point guard in the Association, he’s far from the only first-year point guard to not be outstanding in terms of assist totals.

Sexton’s defense has a ways to go as well, as we’ve harped on, but he can and I believe will, in particular off the ball, get better on that end with more experience and more film study.

The dude is 20, so I’ll give him some slack for his rough advanced defensive metrics to begin his career.

Taking this information related to Sexton into consideration, having a player such as Thybulle, who has started in every game he’s played in his college career at UW, per Sports Reference, and could develop into an outstanding perimeter defender, could be a great pairing next to Sexton in the next few years.

In some lineups, Thybulle could realistically play on the wing as well, but I’d think his highest ceiling would be at the 2.

With Sexton’s speed end-to-end with the ball, even after opposing made baskets, and the havoc Thybulle’s defensive feel and length wreaks on opposing perimeter players, the two, along with the defensive instincts of Osman and Nance, could generate a number of easy opportunities for the Cleveland Cavaliers in transition.

Here’s a case in point.

https://twitter.com/UW_MBB/status/1106293960723488770

Thybulle is a player that is fairly limited on the offensive end, as evidenced by his career 9.3 points per game scoring average in four seasons, but his career three-point clip of 36.5 percent on 3.9 attempts per game (per Sports Reference) at least gives some reason to be optimistic for his outlook as a spot-up shooter.

Currently, likely due to his offensive limitations, Thybulle’s draft projection is 30th overall, according to Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman, for the record.

Thybulle’s career 51.9 percent three-point rate (and most of those coming from catch-and-shoots) also shows that he’s used to his shot attempts coming from ball movement, and with Sexton, Cedi Osman, Love, and potentially Jordan Clarkson and/or Delly deliveries, Thybulle could get a considerable number of open looks from the corner and above the break.

Thybulle will occasionally get buckets from one-dribble pull-ups after handoffs, and some easy baskets near the rim from straight-line drives after closeouts, too, but at least in the coming years, I’d expect him to be more of a scorer from the assisted variety, which is fine, given what he could bring early on on the defensive end and as a transition piece.

The third reason is he fits the development mindset Cleveland is going to have in the coming years, and in a little-to-no pressure rebuilding scenario, he could blossom into a key piece.