Philadelphia Traded Two Picks to Reach Matisse Thybulle
Philadelphia targeted Washington defender Matisse Thybulle in the 2019 draft and sent Boston the rights to No. 24 Ty Jerome and No. 33 Carsen Edwards for the No. 20 rights to Thybulle. The Sixers preferred an immediately usable defensive wing over two opportunities further down the board. Boston accepted a later first and an additional second, giving itself the choice to develop players or reroute one of the selections. Both teams were acquiring draft rights rather than an established NBA veteran, and the ultimate value depended on which rights became useful rotation work.
Thybulle Became a Recognized Defensive Specialist
Thybulle spent multiple seasons with Philadelphia and established himself as a disruptive perimeter defender. He earned All-Defensive Second Team recognition, supplying steals, deflections and unusual recovery ability in a role that didn't demand high offensive usage. The Sixers could put him alongside their more prolific scorers and rely on his ball pressure. His limitations as a shooter affected how he was deployed, particularly in certain postseason matchups, but he played genuine rotation minutes over several years. That direct Philadelphia contribution gives the receiving team considerably more than a theoretical prospect or unused contract.
Boston's Rights Returned a Short-Term Reserve and Another Trade
Carsen Edwards became a Celtics guard but did not establish a permanent rotation role before leaving Boston. Ty Jerome's draft rights had an even more complicated path: Boston forwarded them to Phoenix in a separate transaction rather than developing Jerome as a Celtic. His later work for the Suns and other teams therefore cannot be credited as Boston playing production from the Thybulle swap. The additional second-round opportunity was real draft value at the time, yet Edwards did not provide sustained contribution comparable to the defender Philadelphia acquired. Boston's short direct return is the decisive limitation.
The Defensive Contributor Outweighed the Two-Pick Package
Boston's logic was defensible on draft night because two selections offer more chances to discover useful talent than one. The eventual returns did not justify giving up the player Philadelphia chose. Thybulle helped the Sixers over several seasons, while Edwards remained a modest reserve and Jerome was moved in another deal before suiting up in Boston. Philadelphia's win rests on the actual defensive specialist it used rather than pretending he became an elite two-way scorer. The Boston grade reflects missed opportunity, not a belief that having extra draft choices is inherently poor strategy.
Final Verdict
76ers Win. Philadelphia earns B for Matisse Thybulle's years as an NBA rotation defender and his All-Defensive honors. Boston gets D because Carsen Edwards provided limited reserve value and Ty Jerome was moved again before he could produce Celtics playing minutes. Jerome's subsequent career at other clubs cannot be added to Boston's direct return from this June 2019 draft-rights exchange.