Atlanta Hawks: 5 Reasons to Draft Matisse Thybulle in 2019 NBA Draft

Fit on the Atlanta Hawks

For the Atlanta Hawks, Matisse Thybulle would be a godsend in the 2019 NBA Draft. He would cover up the defensive deficiencies of Trae Young better than pretty much anyone else in this class, and with compact, easily repeatable shooting mechanics, his offense should help aid the Hawks on the other end as well.

Beyond that, Thybulle should be able to provide value just due to being a slightly unsung draft prospect. In our recent full-team mock draft, we had the San Antonio Spurs taking Thybulle #19 in the 2019 NBA Draft.

If the Hawks wanted to get a little frisky, they could actually trade down with a team that is desperate to move up, take Thybulle and hopefully pick up another young player or another future draft asset in the process.

While not a sure thing, the value of nabbing another asset while also picking up perhaps the best defender in the 2019 NBA Draft class – and one of the best defenders in any recent draft class – would be an absolute coup for the Atlanta Hawks.

Of course, we know that GM Travis Schlenk values shooting above all else – as his three first-round selections last year would entail – so would he be scared off by Thybulle’s down year from outside (30.5%) in his senior season?

Who knows, but if the Atlanta Hawks were to select Matisse Thybulle in the 2019 NBA Draft, their defense would be immediately and irreversibly improved.