Why Lakers Need to Prioritize Matisse Thybulle Contract over Kuminga Sign-and-Trade amid NBA Rumors

The Los Angeles Lakers search for defensive upgrades continues.

In fact, it might run indefinitely given how glaring the need will be with the Purple and Gold building around the offense-first guard combo of Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves.

For now, L.A.'s interest has been mostly tied to 23-year-old swingman Jonathan Kuminga, but Marc Stein of the Stein Line reported the Lakers are "registering interest this week in free agent Matisse Thybulle," while "continuing to pursue Jonathan Kuminga."

If this is all a matter of wall-throwing various targets and seeing which one sticks, that's fine. Since nothing in free agency is guaranteed until pen meets paper, front offices must remain flexible in case Plans A, B and C don't come together.

At a certain point, though, L.A. might have to tier its target list and prioritize some over others. The middle of July feels like that point, since so many other alternatives have been taken off the table by now.

Whenever the Lakers do make that call, it should be Thybulle—not Kuminga—sitting atop the wish list.

That might surprise more than a few folks. And it probably should. Given Kuminga's age and draft pedigree (No. 7 pick in 2021) and Thybulle's injury trouble (45 appearances over the last two campaigns combined), one could argue Kuminga offers both a higher floor and a higher ceiling.

Remember, though, L.A. isn't picking players based on which one would be favored in a theoretical 1-on-1 matchup. And once the Lakers start factoring in things like acquisition cost (Kuminga clearly wants more than they can offer and seemingly would require sacrificing more draft assets in a sign-and-trade) and on-court fit, that's where Thybulle could get the edge.

Because Thybulle has those availability concerns and wholly underwhelming offensive numbers (5.0 career points per game on 43.8/34.9/68.3 shooting), he looks like a clear candidate for a minimum, prove-it contract.

For that (literally) minimal impact on the financial books, the Lakers could land an impact defender, chaos-creator and, as of the last two seasons, 41.1 percent three-point shooter. It's the exact kind of archetype L.A. should be seeking on the wings to support its star guards.

Thybulle has twice earned All-Defensive second-team honors. He is sturdy and stingy in on-ball coverage and a major defensive playmaker off the ball. Among players with 5,000 career minutes, he is the only one with career steal and block percentages of three-plus (3.8 and 3.4, respectively).

He is a decorated and dominant defender. And if these recent shooting rates are for real, he is a viable catch-and-shoot option, too.

Kuminga, meanwhile, is more of an isolation scorer who works best with the ball in his hands. Given his physical tools, imaginations have always run wild with how effective he could be as an offensive play-finisher and defensive Swiss Army knife.

That just doesn't seem like the game he wants to play, though.

He clearly has talent, and he can pile up points when he's on a heater. But the Lakers aren't looking for a primary scoring option on offense. They have a great one in Dončić and a pretty awesome offensive sidekick in Reaves.

They need someone who will buy into a complementary role and focus on helping to cover the cracks around their stars. That's basically how Thybulle makes his living. And he's been pretty successful at it; in each of his seven NBA seasons, his teams have fared better with him than without.

Kuminga, meanwhile, owns a minus-1.2 career net differential, per Basketball-Reference.com.

So, while Kuminga might have more name recognition, a better highlight reel and more theoretical upside, this debate seems pretty obvious. Thybulle should be their focus, and that'd be true even if he weren't cheaper and easier to acquire.