Mavericks sign top defensive player to offer sheet

The Dallas Mavericks are trying hard to address their leaky defense.

Chris Haynes of TNT reported on Wednesday that restricted free agent guard Matisse Thybulle plans to sign an offer sheet with the Mavericks. The Portland Trail Blazers, Thybulle’s current team, have the ability to match Dallas’ offer sheet within 48 hours of Thybulle officially signing it.

The 26-year-old is a complete and dynamic defender who has already made two All-Defensive teams in his first four seasons. While he is essentially a non-factor on offense (4.6 points per game for his career), Thybulle did flash a much-improved three-ball last year with Portland (38.8 percent).

Thybulle is worth a shot for the Mavs, who were swiss cheese defensively last season, especially after trading Dorian Finney-Smith as part of the Kyrie Irving deal. 

Dallas has been busy this summer, re-signing Irving and Dwight Powell, reuniting with Seth Curry, and bringing in Dante Exum. But most of those players are negatives on defense, and the Mavs whiffed on a different perimeter defender in free agency. Now Thybulle could be arriving to save the day (provided that the Blazers let him walk).