After a pretty wild offseason that saw them go full throttle in free agency, the Philadelphia 76ers, like most teams, stood idly in the long lead-up to the 2024-25 season. But in typical Daryl Morey fashion, the team went on to sign Guerschon Yabusele, a standout from the 2024 Summer Olympics who turned heads with his inspired play and was subsequently rewarded with a one-year deal from the franchise to return to the NBA.
Yabusele may not be a household name in America, especially after he turned in two, unforgettable season with Boston, but he’s been a staple in the Euroleague for quite some time now. He strongly expressed interest in returning to the big league after his impressive Paris stint, and now, he joins a 76ers team slated to compete for pole position and hopefully, the championship.
The 76ers just pulled off the biggest heist of the summer with Guerschon Yabusele
Veteran’s minimum signings, those that are organic and not a by-product of not enough teams having actual money to spare, rarely profile as huge needle-movers. The 76ers probably don’t envision Yabusele as a big pendulum swinger, but they struck gold with him as a late summer addition.
For a team in dire need of natural forwards and size in the position, snagging Yabusele for chump change is a nice deviation from the franchise’s usual quirks in preferring proven commodities. They could have gone after Marcus Morris Sr. or Davis Bertans (they can still do, though the 76ers prefer to keep the last roster spot available), but neither is imbued with any ceiling-raising quality, even at the very least.
Yabusele’s former NBA stint leaves a ton to be desired, but his Olympics play leaves a lot to like. Even better, his Paris escapade is not an aberration — he’s been one of the most stable cogs in Europe for the last four years.
At best, the French tweener can supply much-needed physicality for the 76ers on the defensive end while also adding malleability on the scoring end. Formerly a poor shooter, he’s become a career 41.1 percent three-point marksman in Europe, though it is to be noted that the NBA’s rainbow country is deeper.
Yabusele is the kind of player who can be shoehorned in various, functional outfits. But even if he doesn’t pan out, there was little to no risk associated with signing him anyway, making him an easy cut in that scenario.
Either way, the Philadelphia 76ers definitely pulled off a big steal with Guerschon Yabusele, further making an already exhilarating offseason even more laudable.