The New York Knicks tried to trade their biggest offseason signing in Guerschon Yabusele, along with second-year wing Pacôme Dadiet, for Jeremy Sochan. The San Antonio Spurs wouldn't do it because they didn't want Yabusele's player option for next season on their books, according to HoopsHype's Michael A. Scotto. It seems like if the Knicks want to trade Yabusele, which they're expected to do ahead of February 5's trade deadline, they'll need to include at least one second-round pick to entice suitors.
Spurs rebuff Knicks' offer to reunite Yabusele with Wembanyama
Scotto wrote in a recent column full of intel regarding players across the league ahead of the trade deadline that the Knicks made an offer to the Spurs for Sochan, in an attempt to move off of Yabusele by reuniting him with his French teammate in Wembanyama. The two have played together before, representing France in international play, and there's reportedly been interest in a deal to find the Yabusele a new home.
"As recently reported three days ago on HoopsHype, there was also trade chatter of a New York Knicks package of French forwards Guerschon Yabusele and Pacome Dadiet pitched for Sochan, but San Antonio was not willing to take on Yabusele’s $5.78 million player option for next season, league sources told HoopsHype," Scotto wrote.
Yabusele has appeared in 41 games thus far for the Knicks, but head coach Mike Brown has only played him an average of 8.9 minutes per game. He's often been the "half-man" in Brown's eight-and-a-half man rotation. Recently, rookie forward Mohamed Diawara has gotten plenty of opportunity there as well.
Because he was signed with the taxpayer midlevel exception, he automatically has a player option for next season. This is apparently what's scaring teams off from trading for him, at least without receiving draft compensation in return. Even if it takes just one or two second-round picks, it seems like the Knicks will have to include some sort of sweetener in any deal involving Yabusele.
It isn't some conclusive indictment on Yabusele's NBA career that he hasn't been a fit in Brown's system. The coach identified him and All-Star teammate Karl-Anthony Towns early on as the two players that would have the longest adjustments to his system, because they needed to learn how to play both power forward and center.
The Knicks seldom lean on Yabusele for center minutes, which negates his on-court benefits as a "small-ball 5." But even when he's in at power forward, he's struggled to contribute much on either end of the floor. It makes sense that he wants to go somewhere that will include him in their rotation consistently. It makes sense that the Knicks want to accomodate that request.
Unfortunately for both parties, it also makes sense that – especially with the lack of fit between the two being so obvious – opposing teams won't just help them fix all of their problems without coming out on top of any hypothetical trade.