Given the state of the Philadelphia 76ers' 2024-25 campaign, it did not take much for a player to be the franchise's beacon of hope for the future. Guerschon Yabusele stood out from the crowd with a string of energetic, exciting, and gritty performances. Despite this, the 'Dancing Bear' chose to join the New York Knicks rather than re-sign with the 76ers. Now, an NBA insider has revealed that his time with his new employers looks to be over.
Yabusele firmly embedded himself as a fan favourite during his time in Philadelphia -- averaging 11 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game, while shooting 50.1% from the floor. However, after Morey spent most of his offseason pursuing Quentin Grimes, Yabusele decided that his future lay with the 76ers' Eastern Conference rivals in New York.
NBA insider Jake Fischer stated that "League sources say Gueschon Yabusele and Pacome Dadiet available before the Feb. 5 deadline to potentially set the Knicks up to do some minor tweaking."
Yabusele's year from hell
All a player ever wants from a franchise is to feel like they are valued. It was clear from Daryl Morey's offseason priorities that Yabusele did not fall into this category. The 30-year-old's wage demands could not be matched in Philadelphia due to the funds being reserved for a player in Quentin Grimes that they deemed more suitable for this roster. New York paid Yabusele what he wanted, and that was all she wrote.
Although what she wrote was far from a romantic ending for the former Sixers forward. Instead, it has been more of an award-winning horror story. Yabusele has been granted limited opportunities to stake a place for a meaningful role in the rotation, and when he has been on the floor, his impact has been minimal.
The French international is yet to start a game for New York, but has racked up 32 appearances on the year so far. Yabusele is averaging a worrying 3.3 points and 2.2 rebounds, while recording a field-goal percentage of 41.3%.
Just to cement Yabusele's woes further, the Knicks' head coach, Mike Brown, has only fielded the explosive forward for an average of around 10 minutes per game. In comparison, during his time in the 'City of Brotherly Love', Yabusele would be unleashed for around 27 minutes per game -- in which his statistics spoke for themselves in terms of performance level.
Undoubtedly, Guerschon Yabusele will always hold a fond place in the hearts of Philadelphia 76ers fans. However, given his substandard form this campaign, Daryl Morey will be feeling a sense of satisfaction with his decision to reacquire Quentin Grimes instead.