Guerschon Yabusele’s NBA comeback looked like it was going great. But after struggling with the Knicks, Yabusele is in trade rumors ahead of February’s deadline. Per the New York Post, the Knicks are talking to teams about moving the former Celtics first-round pick.
Yabusele is averaging just 2.9 points and 2.1 rebounds in 9.4 minutes over 37 games for the Knicks. He signed a two-year, $11 million contract with New York over the offseason, getting a nice payday after betting on himself. But Yabusele hasn’t been able to make a consistent impact for a Knicks team hoping to compete for a title.
Yabusele had a successful season with the 76ers last season, proving that he could be a contributor in the NBA. He averaged 11.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 70 games (43 starts) for the Sixers.
Yabusele’s breakout performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics led to NBA teams interested in bringing him back stateside. Philadelphia signed him to a one-year deal as a low-risk move, and it ended up working out for the forward.
Yabusele originally started his NBA career with the C’s, getting drafted 16th overall in 2016. He spent two seasons in Boston from 2017-19, playing in 74 total games. But Yabusele had to rebuild his stock afterwards overseas. Before his NBA comeback, Yabusele was a solid player for Real Madrid as a 3-and-D player.
It’s no surprise to see Yabusele back in trade rumors. He hasn’t been a contributor for the Knicks. He also doesn’t make a ton of money, meaning he could be a good buy-low candidate for a team hoping to get a contributor.