Guerschon Yabusele plays for the Knicks in Toronto
Guerschon Yabusele plays for the Knicks in Toronto
Guerschon Yabusele did not spend long with the Knicks, but he spent enough time around the building to understand the deal. In a recent interview, the former New York forward said, “If you play two bad games, they’re already asking for a trade.”
He is right about the temperature. A bad Tuesday night in January can turn into a week of radio calls, trade machines and people deciding a player has to go. That comes with playing in New York when the team is good enough to matter.
Yabusele appeared in 41 games for the Knicks last season, averaging nine minutes and making no starts. His role was limited, but the pressure was not. He later landed with the Bulls before joining Panathinaikos this offseason.
I do not need to agree with every former player to see what he means. Knicks fans care hard, and they can be impatient when a playoff-caliber team looks flat. Players know it before they arrive. Then they learn how different it feels when the Garden gets restless.
The 30-year-old’s NBA record says his Knicks stint was a small part of his career. His read on the city will sound familiar to anyone who has watched a role player go from crowd favorite to trade bait in a month.
Guerschon Yabusele reacts for the Knicks at Madison Square Garden
Guerschon Yabusele reacts for the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect.
What the Knicks ask of every newcomer
New York’s next group will get the same treatment. The championship did not lower the expectations. It raised them, because fans have now seen what the roster looks like when it gets right.
That pressure can be exhausting. It can also be part of the appeal. Nobody comes to the Knicks looking for a quiet market, and nobody should be surprised when every rough patch becomes its own event.