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The New York Knicks traded away Guerschon Yabusele while making a deal for Jose Alvarado at the NBA trade deadline to shake up the roster.
The New York Knicks spent much of last summer believing they had landed a perfect frontcourt fit. Instead, Guerschon Yabusele’s New York tenure ended almost as quickly as it began — and head coach Mike Brown says the reason was far simpler than performance or effort.
Why Guerschon Yabusele Didn’t Fit in New York
Speaking before the Knicks’ 105–99 win over the Chicago Bulls on Sunday — a game in which Yabusele posted 13 points and 11 rebounds against his former team — Brown offered a candid explanation for why the French forward never carved out a consistent role in New York.
“The position he’s shown he’s best in in the NBA — the small-ball center spot — we just didn’t have the minutes consistently for him to be there,” Brown said, via The New York Post. “And then when he was at the 4, for us, because of our centers, the matchups weren’t always there.”
The mismatch ultimately made Yabusele expendable, despite the expectations that followed his signing.
Big Expectations, Minimal Minutes
Yabusele arrived in New York as the Knicks’ most notable offseason addition, signing a two-year, $12 million deal after a successful NBA comeback with the Philadelphia 76ers.
But under Brown, the 30-year-old averaged just 8.9 minutes per game, producing 2.7 points and 2.1 rebounds. His role fluctuated nightly, often disappearing altogether when matchups or rotations tightened.
Brown stressed that the issue wasn’t talent.
“Because he’s a good player,” Brown said. “Started for the French national team. We all know what they did. The style of play is a little bit different.”
A Frontcourt Logjam
The problem, Brown explained, was structural.
New York’s rotation already revolved around Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson, both of whom command heavy minutes at center. That left little opportunity for Yabusele to thrive in his preferred role as a pick-and-pop five.
“And then it’s tough because we have Karl-Anthony playing heavy minutes, and we have Mitchell playing heavy minutes,” Brown said. “So we had to pick and choose when he was on the floor and how we were going to play him.”
Yabusele’s skill set — spacing the floor, popping to the perimeter, and functioning as a small-ball big — fits more naturally with teams that could guarantee him a consistent run at center.
A Fresh Start in Chicago
That reality prompted the Knicks to move quickly. Yabusele agreed to amend his contract, foregoing his second-year player option, and was dealt to Chicago in exchange for Dalen Terry.
The move unlocked a chain reaction. New York later rerouted Terry, future second-round picks and cash considerations to the New Orleans Pelicans for Jose Alvarado, who has since emerged as a high-energy spark off the Knicks’ bench.
Meanwhile, Yabusele found what he lacked in New York: opportunity.
Since joining Chicago, he is averaging 10.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists while shooting 43.2% from three-point range in 25.4 minutes per game — nearly triple his workload with the Knicks.
Yabusele: ‘I Was Missing Being Out There’
After his exit from New York, Yabusele spoke candidly about how difficult the situation had been.
“We can always see the side of the money and talk about it,” Yabusele said in an interview with SNY. “But at the end of the day the passion is more than just the money. It’s being out there… competing at a high level because I’m a competitor first.”
He added that the lack of playing time weighed heavily.
“The situation with New York was a little bit different for me because I wasn’t really playing,” Yabusele said. “Being able to be on another team and try to bring value on the court was really important.”
In Chicago, that confidence has returned.
“I love it out there with the team, the guys, the coaches,” Yabusele said. “They did a great job of welcoming me. It just makes it easy for me to have confidence and feel good on the court.”
A Clean Break for Both Sides
For the Knicks, the move clarified a crowded frontcourt and opened the door for Alvarado’s arrival. For Yabusele, it restored rhythm and relevance.
In the end, Brown believes the outcome was inevitable and fair.
The fit wasn’t wrong because of effort or ability. It was wrong because of timing, roles, and roster math.
Sometimes, that’s all it takes for a promising move to quietly unravel — and for both sides to be better off once it does.