The Portland Trail Blazers have been hit hard by injuries this season. Those injuries are part of the reason why their season has gone off the rails this season.
Despite having won five of their last six games, they haven’t been able to get any closer to making the playoffs. They are still 13th in the Western Conference standings.
Still, their young guys will continue to try to keep winning as many games as they can. Portland wants their young guys to develop for the rest of the year.
Whichever players are left once the trade deadline passes will be viewed as part of the young core that they will build around. At one point, Matisse Thybulle was thought to be a core rotational piece.
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Thybulle was traded from the 76ers to the Blazers a couple of seasons ago, and he was expected to be part of their rotation for years to come because of his strong perimeter defense.
Instead, that has not been the case. Thybulle has been injured for a lot of his time in Portland. In his first season with the Blazers, he played in just 22 games. Last season, he was able to play 65, which is much better.
Thybulle has yet to play a single game this season for the Trail Blazers. He is once again on the injury report ahead of their matchup against the Magic.
Thybulle is listed as out because of a sprained ankle. It’s the same ankle injury that has cost him the whole season up to this point.
The season will continue to be a frustrating one for Thybulle. He won’t be making his season-debut in the game against Orlando.
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It doesn’t look like Thybulle is going to be part of Portland’s core moving forward. If he can’t stay healthy, there is no reason for him to be figured as part of their plans in future seasons.
Thybulle is a free agent after next season. Until he gets back on the court, he has no trade value. It would be nice for Portland to add him to the mix, though.
For his career, Thybulle averages 4.8 points, two rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game.
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