There goes the inevitable. After some dilly-dallying, unrestricted free agent Guerschon Yabusele has officially left the Philadelphia 76ers. However, his destination is sure to infuriate a lot of fans from Philly.
As reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania, Yabusele has agreed in principle with the New York Knicks on a two-year, $12 million deal that will send him to the Big Apple, putting an end to his brief, yet memorable stint with the 76ers.
The news came as a massive shocker, as the Knicks were never reported to be among the teams in serious pursuit of the forward. Previously, the Spurs, Nuggets, and Bucks were rumored to be in the running to pry him away from the 76ers, but New York managed to get the job done away from the public eye.
In going to the Knicks, Yabusele not only gave the 76ers an impactful exit, but also an insult to injury by going to a team like New York.
Guerschon Yabusele pulls the rug from under the 76ers by signing with the Knicks
The Knicks were already expected to be one of the biggest contenders in the East next season. Now, bringing Yabusele into the fold will only bolster their chances given that they have now addressed their gaping issue when it comes to size at the forward position.
What was initially believed to be a wide-open Eastern Conference may now be an increasingly top-heavy one. The 76ers not only lose Yabusele, but they also see one of their most formidable foes augment their lineup ahead of next season.
For now, the 76ers inarguably remain thin at forward, although adding Trendon Watford should help immensely. Still, the front office must do whatever it takes to actually replace the Frenchman, lest they risk reviving their sheer vulnerability in the front court.
Daryl Morey and his crew still have a ton of time to seek a replacement, although that will not be easy. Most of the big names have already been signed by teams, and with how fast the free agency market is drying up, they will need to move much more deliberately.
In the meantime, the Philadelphia 76ers have to shift their focus on keeping Quentin Grimes; otherwise, they will stand to lose him alongside Yabusele, causing an unforgivably terrible wrinkle to the team’s offseason slate that could very well cause their chances for a huge comeback to plummet next season.