Sixers’ Matisse Thybulle has accepted that his name is in trade discussion: ‘I have no control’

BOSTON — Matisse Thybulle appeared stress free.

The 76ers shooting guard looked nothing like a guy who is once again the subject of trade discussions.

After Wednesday morning’s shootaround at Northeastern University, he participated in a three-point shooting drill with Furkan Korkmaz. Then he greeted special guests in the Cabot Center arena before scurrying to get on the first bus back to the team hotel.

Having been in this situation before, Thybulle has learned that focusing on what you can control is more than a cliché to conceal uncertainty.

» READ MORE: Matisse Thybulle, an NBA trade deadline fixture, could be playing his final game with the Sixers

Thybulle’s day centered on getting rest and preparing for Wednesday night’s game against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden.

Never mind that he keeps being mentioned as someone the Sixers could move before Thursday’s NBA trade deadline. The two-time, second-team All-Defensive selection, who has fallen out of favor with the Sixers, knows there are plenty of teams interested in acquiring him for the right price.

“I’ve just accepted it,” Thybulle said of being involved in trade discussions. “It is what it is. I have no control, so it’s just whatever will happen it will be.”

Thybulle has experienced uncertainty before as his name was mentioned during the two previous NBA trade deadlines. He also dealt with it when the Sixers shopped him to teams last summer, especially when they attempted to trade him to the Portland Trail Blazers on draft night.

“I hurt myself in the past by having a desired outcome,” Thybulle said, “and then the stress of that. So this year, there is no desired outcome.

“It is to just be fully present for whatever is there, whenever it happens.”

The Sixers are looking to position themselves to win their first NBA title since 1983. They took the Eastern Conference’s third-best record (34-18) into the matchup against the first-place Celtics (38-16). The team is looking for a suitable backup center and swingman to help push the squad to a deep postseason run.

Utah Jazz power forward Jarred Vanderbilt had been among the players in which the team has expressed interest.

However, Utah sent Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley to the Los Angeles Lakers in a three-team trade that included the Minnesota Timberwolves. As part of the deal, the Lakers sent a 2027, protected 1-to-4, to the Jazz. The Sixers never really had the assets needed to acquire Vanderbilt.

Thybulle is the best asset that they’re willing to move in a deal.

According to sources, the Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings, Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns, and Portland Trail Blazers are among the interested teams. However, those teams want to get him at a bargain price because his value has dropped as a result of the Sixers removing him from the rotation.

» READ MORE: For the Sixers, NBA trade deadline could be more about shedding salary than adding talent

Multiple league sources said Thybulle’s lack of consistent offensive production has lowered his trade value. There’s still concern with his reduced role and his inability to make shots in the postseason. That’s why several days ago a certain NBA team source said theteam wouldn’t give up a first-round pick for Thuybulle.

But the Sixers don’t want to just give Thybulle away before the 3 p.m. deadline. Will they find an interested team to throw in a desired first-round pick? Or will the Sixers settle for the best available offer?

With a lack of tradable assets, the Sixers, who have a roster spot available, might be better off acquiring a player in the buyout market. But they also want to eliminate salary to get below the luxury tax threshold. Adding a player via the buyout market without shedding salary via a trade would only add to the luxury tax.

The Sixers’ current roster has $151.4 million in salary, according to Spotrac. They would have to shed $1.1 million to get below the league’s $150.3 million threshold.

But if they plan to shed salary, the Sixers will have to give up something to a team that can take on that salary. Sometimes, teams that need to shed salary include cash and/or draft picks to sweeten the deal, thus paying a price for a favor.

The problem is the Sixers don’t have a lot of assets.

So, if a player has some value — Thybulle, for example — the Sixers could get a lesser salary in return and possibly get under the cap. That would help both sides.

Traded five times, Tobias Harris has experienced uncertainty heading into trade deadlines. He offered advice for Thybulle and Korkmaz, who requested to be traded. The power forward stressed to his teammates the importance of being ready for any moment.

“You know, just stay in the moment of what you can control right now, and be ready for whatever’s to come,” Harris said. “It’s the nature of the business and just the game of basketball.

“So I always tell [Thybulle] whatever is going to happen, you are going to be fine because you got yourself to this position by doing what you’ve been doing and staying ready for whatever.”

» READ MORE: Sixers guard Furkan Korkmaz has requested to be traded before Thursday’s deadline, sources say

That said, it has to be tough to constantly be included in trade reports. Sure Thybulle outwardly appears stress free, but Harris, speaking from experience, said this can eat at players.

“It’s, for sure, unsettling and nerve-wracking,“ Harris said. “But at the end of the day, if we’re being honest, you can’t do [expletive] about it. If your name is in rumors, most times, where there’s smoke there’s fire. All you can really do is control your own moment and where you are.”

Right now, all Thybulle can do is go about his normal routine and await his fate.