The Philadelphia 76ers have a lot of decisions to make before the trade deadline. With just a tad more than a week away from the cut-off, the rumor mill is churning much faster, although somehow, the market has been moving rather slowly as not a lot of moves have ben made at this juncture.
Amid a wildly disappointing campaign, the 76ers have various routes they can take. On one hand, they could either play the role of buyers and seek multiple positional upgrades to address their pressing needs. On the other, they can sensibly take on the mantle as sellers and try to maximize the trade market to extract assets of their non-long term players.
One player that has put Philadelphia’s brass in a tight spot is Guerschon Yabusele, who has frankly been the most consistent player for the team this season. He has played so well that he has given the team a huge problem –– one that could only be abated with a singular solution already taking shape.
The 76ers face a huge problem with Guerschon Yabusele ––– and there is only one solution
Players who turn in breakout seasons like Yabusele has with the 76ers this season would normally have a lot of staying power on the roster, but the Frenchman’s situation is quite different. With Philadelphia only signing him to a minimum deal last offseason, the front office would be strongly limited as to how much they can offer him next summer in hopes of retaining him.
As things currently stand, the 76ers are only in a position to extend him an offer around the ballpark figure of $5 million per season — hardly a moving figure for someone who will most probably fetch more lucrative offers from other teams, especally given his in-demand skill set as a malleable forward who can shoot, post-up, defend, and pass the rock.
As a result, the 76ers are stuck with the conundrum of whether or not they should trade him. They do have some positive precedence with Kelly Oubre Jr., who was in a similar position yet managed to stay with the team, but Yabusele could very well have a more robust market than the veteran wing.
Trading Yabusele would easily allow Philly to extract some useful assets for the future, preventing an inopportune situation where they simply let him walk for nothing. While it would throw a curveball into their chase for a playoff spot, it is the most reasonable avenue they can take with the forward.
The Philadelphia 76ers have been graced by a tremendous NBA comeback from Guerschon Yabusele, but unfortunately, they are pigeonholed by reality into trading him before the deadline.