Blazers sign restricted free agent Thybulle after matching Dallas offer

By ANNE M. PETERSON
AP Sports Writer

The Portland Trail Blazers have re-signed restricted free against Matisse Thybulle after matching an offer from the Dallas Mavericks.

Terms of the deal for the guard/forward were not disclosed. Dallas reportedly offered Thybulle a three-year deal worth $33 million.

Thybulle was acquired by the Blazers in a multi-team trade in February. He averaged 7.4 points and 3.5 rebounds in 22 games with Portland. He also averaged 1.7 steals and was one of the bright spots for a team that struggled defensively.

“I got here and I immediately stepped into a bigger role than what I’ve had, and it felt really good and it was an opportunity for me to showcase a little bit more,” Thybulle said on Monday. “I was grateful to be able to step up and rise up to the occasion as well.”

Thybulle was the 20th overall pick in the the 2019 draft out of Washington and has averaged 4.6 points and two rebounds a game during his career, playing for Philadelphia and Portland.

The Blazers announced a day earlier that they had also re-signed forward Jerami Grant, who averaged 20.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 63 games, all starts, last season. His deal is worth $160 million over the next five years.

Thybulle, Grant and Blazers general manager Joe Cronin spoke at a news conference to announce the deals during the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. But the event largely focused on All-Star guard Damian Lillard’s request for a trade.

“He’s going to make his own decisions but at the same time I think Joe is moving in the right direction and he’s going to figure out what we can do to still be a winning team,” Grant said.

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