As the New York Knicks head into the 2025-26 season, they're going to be benefitting from an added depth in the frontcourt that they didn't have before, thanks to Guerschon Yabusele. Last year, New York was markedly thin in the frontcourt outside of the starting lineup, and what was previously a weakness may have become a strength overnight thanks to the French wing.
During last season, the only players on the Knicks' roster outside of the starting five that were at least 6-foot-10 were Jericho Sims and Ariel Hukporti. That's not exactly a ton to work with when you talk about getting through the marathon that is an 82-game regular season in the NBA. Now with the addition of Yabusele, New York is much more equipped to handle the minutes where their starters have to go to the bench and opposing lineups have considerable size.
Part of what made this an issue for the Knicks last season was the injury to Mitchell Robinson. That's a pretty glaring example of how when your depth in the front court is that thin, one injury can serve to derail things rather quickly. Now, one offseason signing that wasn't even hailed as a monumentally big move is already looking like it will have a profound effect on where New York finishes this year.
Yabusele adds a layer of depth to the Knicks' frontcourt
If you've been paying attention at all over the course of the current preseason, you've seen the value as a scorer and rebounder that Yabusele has already been providing the Knicks. Arguably one of the most valuable skills that he brings to the table is his ability to defend bigger forwards. Playing him next to Karl-Anthony Towns really opens up what New York is able to do.
One fan on Reddit called Guerschon the greatest gift from the French to New York since the Statue of Liberty. It's hard to argue with that sentiment right now. Yabusele hasn't exactly been stuffing the stat sheet from day one, but it's very easy to see the potential that's there. I think once he gels with this group a bit more, he's going to be positively unstoppable.
Overall, Guerschon represents a significant upgrade to the Knicks' bench. I think New York needed just a few little tweaks over the summer to get them to the level of a true favorite in the Eastern Conference, and Yabusele is shaping up to be a perfect addition to this roster.