The New York Knicks won the bidding war for Guerschon Yabusele in free agency, but the veteran forward likely regrets his choice less than a month into the regular season. He is averaging just ten minutes per game, and that has been boosted by mop-up duties. The 6’8 forward was a key contributor for the 76ers last season and had multiple offers on the open market. Yabu chose the Knicks, but it is verging on a disaster signing.
The on-paper fit still makes sense. He has made 36.4 percent of his career NBA 3-point attempts and has shown in multiple stops to be a versatile big man capable of spacing the floor, making a few plays, and defending multiple positions. He played a key role in France winning two straight Olympic silver medals. Yabusele can impact winning, but it hasn’t happened for the Knicks.
He turned down a chance to join Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs to come to the Big Apple. San Antonio looks like a contender in the loaded West. New York is in the driver’s seat in terms of winning the East, but the 29-year-old is struggling to find a consistent role.
Guerschon Yabusele can't get minutes on the Knicks
He averages 2.7 points and 2.7 rebounds in 10.0 minutes per game so far this season. Yabusele has shot 30.0 percent from the field and 28.6 percent on his 3-point attempts. It is a small sample size, and the entire Knicks roster is still getting comfortable in head coach Mike Brown’s new system. Things could turn around, but a problematic fact remains at the center of this story.
New York is 1.8 points per 100 possessions better than the opposition with Yabusele on the floor, but it leaps to 7.4 points when he goes to the bench. The Knicks are 5.6 points per 100 worse with him so far this season. For a team all-in on winning a championship, that is a massive issue.
New York is flush with options to play over him. OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns are locked in as the starting forwards. Mikal Bridges will see time at the four. The Knicks also want go small to get more shooting on the floor. All of that makes it hard to find Yabusele significant minutes every night.
The 76ers have the same record as the Knicks and plenty of forward minutes available. They had interest in bringing Yabusele back before he chose New York.
The Spurs are 8-3 and have taken a massive leap. Yabusele had the chance to join his countryman in the Alamo, where he would have been vying for minutes with Harrison Barnes and Jeremy Sochan. San Antonio would like an upgrade over those players, but Yabusele decided on the Knicks.
There has to be plenty of regret as he struggles to get minutes in the Big Apple. Fans know what the 29-year-old is at this stage of his career. He spent five years playing overseas in the middle of it, but fans saw him produce a 0.5 value over replacement player (VORP) last season in Philly. Yabusele can impact winning in starter’s minutes, but that opportunity is available on the Knicks. No matter what qualities Yabu can offer.
The New York Knicks gave Guerschon Yabusele a two-year $11.2 million contract in the offseason with a player option for the 2026-27 season. It seems like the veteran will decline that and test free agency again next summer in search of a larger role.
The Knicks have Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Karl-Anthony Towns eating up the playing time. Yabu is left out in the cold and likely regrets choosing New York already. Sometimes things just don’t work out. There is still time to turn things around, but the factors against feel too strong in this one.