The Philadelphia 76ers are officially close to finally concluding their wildly disappointing season, sending them to yet another eventful offseason that could very well dictate their fate for the upcoming seasons.
Thanks to their audacious tank job during the end tail of the regular season, the 76ers have officially clinched the fifth-best odds to land the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft — a meaningful consolation for a team that managed to outdo the lofty expectations levied on them, albeit for all the wrong reasons.
Now, the front office can look forward to setting their plans into motion, although the draft will just be one big part of their offseason to-do list. Daryl Morey and company also need to be mindful of the fact that the roster badly needs to be reworked, especially on the margins, though it would be in their best interests to keep those players who managed to stand out this season despite a lost cause.
One player whom the 76ers undoubtedly prefer to keep is Guerschon Yabusele, who made a successful return to the NBA this season. However, whether the team will be able to keep him is an entirely different story.
The 76ers have a higher chance of keeping Guerschon Yabusele after his vital decision
Playing and filling in a myriad of roles this season for the injury-riddled 76ers, Yabusele turned out to be the team's most versatile player –– across various stretches, he played all frontcourt positions and helped keep the team stay afloat until they basically went all-in on their tank job.
Yabusele finished his comeback campaign averaging 11 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per outing on 50.1 percent shooting from the field, including an above-average 38 percent clip from three-point territory.
Of course, Philadelphia will aggressively try to keep him in the fold. The team already lacks depth in the frontcourt, and they cannot afford to lose the lone player who was able to play all frontcourt positions for them. Having said that, thanks to the fact that they merely signed him to a veteran's minimum deal last year, the 76ers will be constrained from offering him the kind of contract that his production could command.
Having said that, at least the 76ers have an actual chance to keep him. When asked if he would consider going back to the Euroleague, the Frenchman expressly said that he is eyeing to remain in the league for now.
"Next year? That’s not my plan. My plan is to try to get another contract in the NBA. I don’t want to lie. But I do keep an eye on the EuroLeague for sure, just to see how it’s going, what the level is like. Like when you see a team like Paris — how they’re playing and what they’re capable of doing — so far, they’ve been fantastic, fighting every night."
The bidding war for Guerschon Yabusele may be steep, but the Philadelphia 76ers are definitely still in the running to keep him for next season and beyond. Hopefully, both camps can strike a good deal in free agency and the Frenchman gets to retain a role that he has become accustomed to and thrived under.