Guerschon Yabusele had a heck of a year. As a result, Yabulese is expected to garner a lot of interest when the NBA free agency opens on July 1, per The Stein Line. Will he return to the Philadelphia 76ers?
Be-Loved 76ers Reserve Expected To Garner Lots Of Interest In Free Agency
Yabusele’s 2023-24 basketball season got off to a roaring start with Euroleague Real Madrid. The 6-9 French forward, who was named 2024 Euroleague Week 2 Player of the Week, helped Madrid win the Spanish ACB League and the Spanish Cup that season. Real Madrid also finished with the best record in the Euroleague and came in second in the playoffs, losing to champion Panathinaikos.
After Real’s long campaign, Yabusele moved right into Olympic play. Yabusele finished the tournament as one of the top players on the French national team that lost to the U.S. in the gold medal game.
Yabusele parlayed his outstanding Olympic performance into a one-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers. And the 29-year-old, who was a first-round pick of the Boston Celtics, acclimated himself extremely well after a five-year absence.
Yabusele was a valuable rotational player for Philadelphia, especially given the 76ers’ numerous injuries this past season. Yabusele was one of the most efficient offensive players for the Sixers, putting up a career-best 11 points per game on 50.1% shooting from the floor. He also compiled three double-doubles as he averaged 5.6 boards and 2.1 assists in 27.1 minutes per contest.
“It was a good season,” Yabusele said in a recent interview. “All the ups and downs. I was able to go out there and experience, for the first time, being in the league.”
Will Guerschon Yabusele Remain A Sixer?
The big question is, will Yabulese head back to the City of Brotherly Love, where he is beloved, or leave for a better payday? Yabulese will likely see a pretty hefty salary jump after making the league minimum ($2.08 million) this past year. For the Sixers’ part, they appear to want him to return, though he doesn’t have any Bird Rights.
“He’s really embraced Philly, which is exciting,” Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey said about Yabusele on the Rights to Ricky Sanchez podcast in May. “He’s going to have many great options—I mean, he’s very valued around the league. So, hopefully, he understands how important he is to us and to the fans of Philly. Him being at your event—I think you might actually help us in free agency by having him there.”
76ers Salary Cap Situation
However, Philadelphia is facing a salary cap crunch. The 76ers have 13 players under contract with a salary cap hit of $177.34 million, assuming Kelly Oubre Jr., Eric Gordon, and Andre Drummond opt into their player options as expected.
“With a trio of Sixers veterans — Kelly Oubre Jr., Andre Drummond and Eric Gordon — all expected to soon activate the player options in their respective contracts for next season, it looks as though it will be increasingly challenging for Philadelphia to re-sign beloved big man Guerschon Yabusele,” Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Report. “The former first-round pick from France, who played last season on a minimum deal, is projected to have a strong market in free agency.”
The Sixers do have some flexibility with Lonnie Walker IV ($2.9 million), Jared Butler ($2.3 million), and Justin Edwards ($1.95 million), who all have team options. While those three players could return on cheap contracts, don’t expect the Sixers to exercise all three options, if any at all. Ricky Council IV’s ($2.2 million) deal doesn’t guarantee until January 10, and Adem Bona ($1.9 million) has a partially guaranteed pact that becomes fully guaranteed on opening night.
Let’s say Philadelphia chooses to decline the options of Walker, Butler, and Edwards. That will mean the 76ers will enter the summer with 11 players, assuming they don’t trade away the No. 3 pick in the draft with a salary cap hit of about $170.1 million. The No. 3 pick has a salary cap hit of $11.1 million. Additionally, the Sixers own the No. 35 selection in this year’s draft.
76ers Primary Offseason Priority
Unless a trade occurs, it is safe to say that Philadelphia will have 11 players and a salary cap hit of about $180.2 million entering the new NBA year. Therefore, putting the 76ers about $7.6 million below the luxury tax and $17.5 million under the first apron.
However, a good portion of that $17.5 million will likely be used to re-sign restricted free agent Quentin Grimes. Grimes is the 76ers’ primary offseason target, and according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Sixers are optimistic about their chances of keeping the 25-year-old. The Sixers have the right to match any offer for Grimes and own his Bird rights.
Grimes was superb for Philadelphia after coming over from Dallas in a trade. The 6-5 wing, who had a career year, averaged nearly 22 points with shooting splits of 46.9/37.3/75.2. He has a cap hold of $ 12.8 million and projects to command between $ 12.5 million and $15 million per season. The 76ers received Grimes and their 2025 second-round draft pick in a trade with Dallas for Caleb Martin.
Philadelphia has the NBA bi-annual exception ($5.1 million), although the 76ers will lose the mid-level exception ($14.1 million) if they exceed the luxury tax. Yabusele is expected to get offers between the taxpayer exception ($5.7 million) and the mid-level exception.
What Yabulese Brings and Who Could Be In Play For Him During Free Agency
Yabusele is a banger who thrives on the backboards and can defend both frontcourt positions. While Yabusele showed some ability to be a floor spacer and a decent passer, he does his best work in the post, where he shoots 74.4% from around the rim. He also demonstrated that he is capable of big games, topping the 20-point mark nine times and posting five games of double-digit rebounds. However, defense is an issue for Yabusele.
“Now that I’ve been on the team where I played and a lot of minutes too, I want to be in a situation where I can play too,” Yabusele told Adam Taylor of Heavy.com about what he is looking for in free agency. “I’m not asking to play 40 minutes a game. But just to be in the right situation for me, for the team, having a goal that we can achieve and have a bunch of guys looking to the right direction.”
So, who could pursue Yabulese this summer? The New York Knicks and Orlando Magic are two teams mentioned as possible suitors. Who Else?
New York Knicks
According to Michael Scotto of HoopHype, the Knicks are interested in Yabulese. It makes sense that the Knicks are interested in Yabusele as they need to upgrade their bench and frontcourt depth. Additionally, there are reports that Precious Achiuwa will not be returning to the Knicks.
The problem is that the Knicks are already a taxpaying team. Therefore, unless a trade is made to cut salary, the Knicks have just the nontaxpayer exemption of $5.6 million.
Orlando Magic
Orlando really “shot their shot” with the Desmond Bane trade, which put their finances in peril. The Magic currently projects to have the taxpayer exception available, although they may target him if they don’t re-sign Moritz Wagner. However, as Jeremy Brenner of Sports Illustrated pointed out, the reality of this pairing coming to fruition is that the Magic would have to trade either Jonathan Isaac or Goga Bitadze.
Boston Celtics
Boston was rumored to be interested in a reunion with Yabusele at the trade deadline. Now, the Celtics are in salary cap hell and are expected to dump some salary. Depending on how the C’s go about this process, it will depend on whether they can afford anyone, let alone Yabusele.
Denver Nuggets
Denver needs some reinforcements in the frontcourt. The problem for the Nuggets, like the other three teams mentioned above, is that they are well above the tax threshold. Dario Saric is expected to exercise his team option. Meanwhile, Russell Westbrook has already declined his.
Golden State Warriors
Golden State is an intriguing option. The Warriors need some frontcourt help, and another quality veteran could be the answer, especially if they don’t have to pay a bundle for him. The Dubs have been rumored to be looking to move Jonathan Kuminga and are over $18 million under the luxury tax. So, they do have the room.
Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers may be one of the ideal landing spots for Yabulese. Yabulese would likely see plenty of playing time either as Ivica Zubac’s backup or alongside him. The Clippers could use help at power forward and on the offensive glass.
Sacramento Kings
Sacramento’s roster seems to be in limbo. Four of the Kings’ free agents are frontcourt players — Jake LaRavia, Jae Crowder, Trey Lyles, and Doug McDermott. The Kings could also use another center. They are nearly $20 million under the luxury tax.
Indiana Pacers
The Pacers are an unlikely landing spot. But if they choose not to pay unrestricted free agent Myles Turner, Yabusele could be an option.
Milwaukee Bucks
Like Sacramento, Milwaukee’s roster is in a state of flux. Bobby Portis owns a player’s option while Brook Lopez, Taurean Prince, and Jericho Sims are unrestricted free agents.
Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis has been linked to a few international players already this offseason. The Grizzlies won’t have Zach Edey at the beginning of the year.
Other Potential Teams
Brooklyn, Chicago, Detroit, San Antonio, Atlanta, and Utah have the cap space and will likely look to improve their teams.
Photo Credit: © Kyle Ross, Imagn Images
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