The hour before the 2019 NBA Draft featured a pair of big trades in the top 10 as the Hawks and Timberwolves each moved up to select De’Andre Hunter and Jarrett Culver respectively, but after that things got quiet on the trade front.
The rest of the lottery went on as planned and it wasn’t until the 20th overall pick that we got more movement. That was when division rivals Philadelphia and Boston agreed on a trade to swap the No. 20 and No. 24 picks, with the Celtics picking up the 33rd overall selection as well, so the Sixers could take Matisse Thybulle out of Washington.
Deal is agreed on — and Sixers will send Boston Nos. 24 and 33 in this draft, league sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/XM7bHrkNH7
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 21, 2019
Thybulle is considered one of the draft’s top defensive prospects and is capable of being a contributor on that end immediately for the Sixers off the bench. A rotation player is all you’re really after with the 20th pick, and Philadelphia had clearly identified him as the type of player they could use behind Ben Simmons.
There are offensive question marks for Thybulle, but the Sixers are happy to take on that challenge and hope his defensive skills can translate immediately. Boston appears to be in asset acquisition mode once again as it seems they’re entering a minor rebuild around Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, with the expected departures of Al Horford and Kyrie Irving this summer.
