Trail Blazers wing 'desperately' wanted to join Luka Doncic and the Mavericks

According to NBA insiders Chris Haynes and Marc Stein, Thybulle "desperately” wanted to join the Mavericks. 

“The vibe I’ve gotten is that Thybulle really did want to end up with Dallas,” Stein said on his #thisleague UNCUT podcast with Haynes. “This is something Thybulle’s been wanting even before this summer. Dallas has been talked about as a potential destination. The Mavericks have explored in the past pathways to trade for Thybulle.”

While there is no clear distinction why Thybulle was so gung-ho on teaming up with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving in Dallas, his desire to leave Portland is understandable. Following Damian Lillard's trade request, the Blazers are entering full-blown rebuild mode, as they look to craft their roster around rookie Scoot Henderson. Portland has missed the postseason in back-to-back seasons and appears destined to lose what many would argue is the best player in franchise history in Lillard. 

The Mavericks also missed the playoffs in 2022-23, but are far more equipped to make a run this coming season. The team is just two years removed from making the Western Conference finals while Doncic remains a high-end MVP contender. This summer they re-upped Irving on a three-year deal and added versatile forward Grant Williams from the Boston Celtics. 

Thybulle, an established defensive stalwart, is actively blossoming into a viable 3-and-D wing. After struggling with his shot from time to time during his tenure with the Philadelphia 76ers, Thybulle connected on a career-best 38.8% of his 3-point attempts this past season. 

While Thybulle is staying put in Portland for now, don't be surprised to hear his name arise in trade talks down the line. The two-time All-Defensive Second Team selection is the type of glue player that championship-caliber squads seek out.