Apr 5, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Guerschon Yabusele (28) reacts against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the third quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Guerschon Yabusele has signed a two-year, $12 million deal with the New York Knicks, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. Yabusele departs Philadelphia after just one season, where he helped resurrect his NBA career after struggling during his first stint with the Boston Celtics.
Keeping Yabusele was always going to be tricky for the Sixers. They could have offered Yabusele the full taxpayer's mid-level exception. Prior to free agency, Stein Line's Jake Fisher reported that teams like the San Antonio Spurs were heavily interested in Yabusele and it looked like the Sixers would get priced out of keeping the power forward. However, the Knicks' deal represents the MLE, which the Sixers could've offered him.
Roughly the TMLE, which is all the Knicks have.
Not sure it was realistic that Sixers would’ve wanted to hard-cap themselves at first apron by spending NTMLE, but this could’ve been done if it is indeed the TMLE.
Perhaps use the money elsewhere or just not hard-cap themselves? https://t.co/QltuaHHTKS
According to Hoops Hype's Michael Scotto, Yabusele's decision ultimately came down to the Knicks and the Denver Nuggets. This likely means that the Sixers didn't want to be hard capped by signing Yabusele. Quentin Grimes is also a restricted free agent, meaning the Sixers are likely prioritizing a deal for him over Yabusele.
Yabusele was one of the lone bright spots for the Sixers during their horrendous season. Last summer, he made a name for himself while representing France at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, averaging 8.3 points per game, and posterizing LeBron James in the Gold Medal game. Yabusele's performances earned him some NBA interest, five years after he was let go by the Celtics in 2019, despite being a first-round pick in 2017.
The Sixers snapped him up and he became a useful player for Nick Nurse. Initially signed as a power forward, Yabusele also provided some solid minutes as a pick-and-pop center with Joel Embiid struggling to stay healthy. He drained 38% of his 3-pointers and averaged 11 points per game, while pulling in 5.8 rebounds.
What position Yabusele will play for the Knicks is up in the air. His 3-point shooting at the five allows teams to play five out lineups, but he lacks rim protection in the paint. If he's put at the four, he might struggle to stay with players on the perimeter. Even with some of his flaws, Yabusele is an incredibly effective player, which he showed with the Sixers this year.
Daryl Morey could've traded him at the deadline for assets, but decided against it. That decision might come back to haunt him considering the Sixers were tanking and now Yabusele is walking away for nothing.
All signs were pointing to Yabusele leaving after the Sixers signed Trendon Watford to a two-year, $5.3 million deal last night. Watford, like Yabusele, is a power forward, and although they don't have the exact same skill set, they're similar enough where Watford is likely seen as Yabusele's replacement.
What's surprising about Yabusele signing with the Knicks is that the Sixers could've given him the same offer. It might have come down to Yabusele not seeing the Sixers as a contender this upcoming season. Whatever the case, they've lost a solid role player to a direct rival.
