The Los Angeles Lakers' hunt for defensive upgrades just keeps going, and honestly, it feels like it might be an endless quest. This squad is built around the offense-first guard duo of Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, which means that need on defense is absolutely glaring. Right now, L.A.'s interest is tied up with 23-year-old swingman Jonathan Kuminga, but Marc Stein of the Stein Line just dropped a report that the Lakers are "registering interest this week in free agent Matisse Thybulle," even while they keep "continuing to pursue Jonathan Kuminga." It’s time for the Lakers to make a clear choice.
Forget Kuminga, Thybulle is the Answer
Look, if the Lakers are just throwing names at a wall to see what sticks, fine. Front offices have to stay flexible because nothing's guaranteed in free agency. But we're in the middle of July, folks! So many other options are already gone. It's time to prioritize, and when the Lakers make that call, it should be Thybulle, not Kuminga, at the top of their list. I know, that might surprise a lot of people. Kuminga's got that high draft pedigree, picked seventh overall in 2021, and Thybulle's had some injury trouble, playing only 45 games over the last two seasons combined. You could argue Kuminga has a higher floor and ceiling. But the Lakers aren't picking based on a hypothetical one-on-one matchup. Once L.A. starts looking at acquisition cost and on-court fit, Thybulle gets the undeniable edge. Kuminga clearly wants more cash than they can offer, and he'd demand sacrificing more draft assets in a sign-and-trade. Thybulle, though? With his past availability concerns and those completely underwhelming offensive numbers, averaging just 5.0 career points on 43.8/34.9/68.3 shooting, he looks like the perfect candidate for a minimum, prove-it contract. For that literally minimal impact on their salary cap, the Lakers could land a defensive powerhouse.Thybulle's Impact is Undeniable
This isn't just about saving money. Thybulle is an impact defender, a genuine chaos-creator. And here's the kicker: over the last two seasons, he's shot 41.1 percent from three-point range. That's the exact archetype L.A. needs on the wing to support Dončić and Reaves. This guy has earned All-Defensive second-team honors twice for a reason. He's lockdown on-ball and a major defensive playmaker off the ball. Seriously, among all players with 5,000 career minutes, he's the ONLY one with career steal and block percentages of three-plus, rocking 3.8 and 3.4 respectively. That's elite. If his recent shooting percentages are real, he's a viable catch-and-shoot option, too. Kuminga is more of an isolation scorer, best with the ball in his hands. He's got talent, sure, and can get hot. But the Lakers aren't looking for a primary scorer; they've got Dončić leading the charge and Reaves as an awesome offensive sidekick. They need someone who will buy into a complementary role and focus on covering up the cracks around their stars. That's Thybulle's game, plain and simple. And he's been wildly successful at it; his teams have fared better with him on the court than without him in all seven of his NBA seasons. Kuminga, on the other hand, holds a minus-1.2 career net differential, per Basketball-Reference.com. The choice should be easy. The Lakers need to make this move happen, and they need to do it now. Locking down a proven, complementary defender like Thybulle could be the difference-maker they're desperately seeking to support their star backcourt this season.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.