The Sixers were the winners of the 2024 Paris Olympics, not just because Joel Embiid won a gold medal with Team USA, but because they signed Guerschon Yabuele. The French forward's summer performance earned him another job in the NBA. In Philly, he proved the Olympics weren't a fluke, quickly becoming beloved by fans. What a shame it is that he's now on the New York Knicks.
There is something special about poaching a good player from a rival, especially someone like Yabusele, who fits perfectly with the Knicks. Frontcourt depth was one of New York's most significant weaknesses last season. The Yabusele signing will help with that.
The six-foot-eight forward is a good shooter (he shot 38% from three with the Sixers on 3.9 attempts per game), an electric dunker (ask LeBron), a versatile player, and an all-around hustler. Knicks fans love him already, and he hasn't even played a game yet.
Sixers fans are still mourning the news. Yabusele appreciated his time in Philadelphia, but he said that the team's offer was "really low." The Sixers' loss is the Knicks' gain.
Signing Yabusele was Knicks' best offseason move
New York signed him to a two-year, $12 million contract, with a player option in the second season. The player option isn't ideal, but it reflects the value Yabusele brings to the table. The Knicks did what it took to get a deal done, and Yabusele gave them an assist in the process.
Yabusele saw the culture the Knicks built from afar last season, citing it as a reason why he wanted to make the short move to NYC on the Roommates Show podcast. He noticed the chemistry and how everyone seemed to vibe together. Not every player meshes well with the 'put your head down and go to work' mentality that drives New York. Yabusele does.
He worked hard to return to the NBA after spending a few years playing overseas. It's fitting that after spending his first two seasons in the league in Boston (2017-18), and his most recent one in Philly, he's now in New York. Third time is a charm.
The Knicks boosted an ECF roster by adding Yabusele into the mix. Seeing the lineups that Mike Brown will trot out with Yabusele will be interesting (and fun). There are still a couple of months left until Yabusele will make his Knicks debut, but it should be worth the wait.