The Philadelphia 76ers had a brief, but successful stint during the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft, ending the night having selected their main target with the third overall pick, Baylor standout VJ Edgecombe.
Daryl Morey, 76ers team president, raved about his newest rookie in his post-draft presser, but in doing so, he may have just dropped a huge hint that could signal that the front office might just be angling to make a feared situation in free agency come to fruition.
The longtime executive expressly included Quentin Grimes when asked about his thoughts on Philadelphia’s backcourt rotation next season, adding that the 76ers should have one of the best backcourts in the league moving forward.
Therefore, as non-adherents of the poignant art of selective reading, there can only be one conclusion while reading between the lines — Grimes is here to stay, or at the very least, the 76ers plan to keep him on the roster, much to the detriment of another vital free agent.
Guerschon Yabusele is as good as gone for the 76ers after Daryl Morey drops huge hint
Due to Philly having to operate with the ordnance of a penniless hunter, albeit due to their own doing, the front office will be severely limited with respect to their ability to retain their two most important free agents: Grimes and Yabusele.
But with Grimes now more favored to stay, the Frenchman is essentially as good as gone in free agency. It was always going to be difficult to re-up the forward, but this situation is linked to the front office picking between him and Grimes.
The 25-year-old guard is actually expected to carry a more lucrative price tag, but he undoubtedly packs a lot more promise than Yabusele. The latter, meanwhile, is expected to command a significant pay raise from multiple suitors after posting a very strong comeback season in Philly.
While this is not unprecedented, fans have dreaded the potential exit of Yabusele. The 76ers already lack size at forward, and losing him would leave a significant void in that crucial position. Even more importantly, his sheer versatility that allowed him to play all frontcourt positions would be sorely missed.
The Philadelphia 76ers seem to have already made up their mind, and while the probable outcome will not be music to anyone’s ears, this is the utter reality that the franchise has to face due to the mistakes they committed not too long ago.