Matisse Thybulle Signs Full-MLE Offer with Mavericks / Blazers match

no time to watch, care to paraphrase??
thx

 

Opening Statements:
Grant thanks Joe and group. MT says how getting a second contract means you have made it. Never thanks anyone. LOL.

 

First question to both is about how is the Dame situation playing into your situation. Grant- all the right words and praises Joe. MT- I signed a sheet and they matched it. Not really feeling the love, but I stop around the 5 minute mark.

 

Given that interview, I imagine Thybulle is not long for this team.

 

Not sure about it, around 3:45 he said "I'm here and I'm happy to be here". I imagine he might have wanted to be in Dallas since Portland did not offer him a contract - but seems to be happy where-ever he is.

 

none of those players was a restricted free agent

 

Only if he is not good enough to play in Portland. What I took away from the interview was his comment about how good his friends and family thought he played once he was given a larger role. IMO he just wants to play and if he can't break into this rotation where can he?

 

For what it's worth Stein is a lifelong Mavs fan.

 

Matisse should have been holding up today's newspaper during that press conference. It's clear we are holding him hostage.

 

Grant did not say much as he’s not a big talker. The only thing I can say is January 15. He’s going to work hard. Be a professional. His role is large at both ends. When he’s eligible for a trade, that’s when we see his and the Blazers’ plans.

[Imagine no trade of Lillard for months. Nurkic slides into the Nets TPE. Lillard and Grant go to the Nets for Simmons, CamJohnson and Claxton + 2 picks (Dallas and 76ers).]

Matisse gave thoughtful responses. Smart guy. He didn’t thank everyone for matching a contract offer, but he already knows that with Dame gone, there are more opportunities for others to eat. With the 2nd contract and good money, he’s an NBA player with a career. He can do more for the team. If anyone had asked him about Powell’s Books, he would have talked a bunch more.

 

Yes, I thought Thybulle's answer was a little odd. Said that his agent said there was no connection between what Lillard was doing and Thybulle's restricted free agency. And so that's that.

 

Is it just me or does Matisse look like Kal Penn?

 

Just you

 

I don't buy that Dallas wanted Thybulle so bad - if thats the case they give up three second round picks for him at the deadline.

I was against matching Thybulle for the full MLE but that would've been 4 years ~50+ million. I'm good with matching at 3 years 33 million.

He might be a tad overpaid, but even if so he's a great defender, has NW ties so more likely to be happy here long term, is a very cerebral player that is very well prepared. I think he'll be a great locker room veteran guy and help show Scoot/Sharpe how to defend. He has upside if he can contribute offensively - it could work out to be an Aminu addition back when we signed him in 2015. Thats a player that will have trade value or on court value if the Blazers become competitive sooner than we think. Yeah theres a good chance Thybulle falls short of that level, fine. He has way more youth and upside than for example GP2 did last summer.

The Grant contract has huge downside risk if he doesn't play well at the start of the season, it could become a boat anchor like all the crappy 2016 deals. This Thybulle deal just doesn't have that risk, its more like Aminu/Ed Davis deals. Even if Thybulle plays poorly its a cheap enough deal to be filler in a trade in a year or two.

 

Thybulle is restricted from joining Dallas for 1 year now.
He also essentially has a no-trade clause for the next 12 months too.

 

I meant they would've beat our deal to acquire him months ago for two 2nd rounders, if these reports are true that they wanted him strongly for a long time. I'm not buying that story.