In the eyes of almost every Philadelphia 76ers fan on the planet, resigning Guerschon Yabusele to the 2025-26 roster was an essential piece of business that general manager Daryl Morey had to prioritise. Yet, Morey ignored fans' pleas, focusing all of his energy on retaining the dangerous guard Quentin Grimes. Given the difference in utilisation and performance, his decision to opt for the latter of the two players has been a sensational choice.
Yabusele was one of the very few bright sparks in a season that was -- to put it lightly -- an absolute disaster for the 76ers. The former Real Madrid forward's aggressive style of play and ability to perform earth-shattering dunks stole the hearts of the Philadelphia faithful, as he averaged 11 points and 5.6 rebounds throughout the 2024-25 season.
Nevertheless, the Sixers wished to play a brand of basketball that focused on quick ball movements, which would require a more guard-centric lineup during certain stretches of games, making Grimes the perfect addition to this roster.
However, this would result in a salary offer that Yabusele did not deem acceptable, and his future in New York was confirmed — a move that has yet to pay dividends for both the player and the franchise.
Yabusele's stint in New York has been hugely underwhelming
New York has signalled its intent to lift a championship in recent years, with the emergence of Jalen Brunson and the acquisition of Karl-Anthony Towns in a shocking trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Yabusele appeared to be the perfect addition who could play an effective role from the bench, but head coach Mike Brown clearly disagrees.
So far with the Knicks, the 29-year-old is recording just 3.2 points, 2.2 rebounds, and around 10 minutes per matchup. Yabusele has failed to start any of his 22 appearances with the franchise, despite Towns, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, and Mitchell Robinson all sitting out with injuries at some point during the campaign.
Without trying to rub salt in the wounds of the 'Dancing Bear', Grimes is thriving for the 76ers and has established himself as a serious contender for the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award if he continues in this rich vein of form. The former Knicks guard is averaging 16.5 points and 4.4 assists per game, while shooting around 37% from deep.
The Philadelphia 76ers fan base was up in arms during the offseason when the New York Knicks confirmed that they had tempted Yabusele to sign a contract in the 'Big Apple'. However, given the manner in which his season is panning out for the franchise, Daryl Morey's decision to pursue Grimes and not cave to exterior pressure has been a stroke of genius.