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76ers Expected to Cut Ties With Beloved Big Man: Report

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Reign Amurao | Last updated Jun 19, 2025 10:32 PM ET

The Philadelphia 76ers are in a position to strengthen their roster over the summer. The team holds the No. 3 pick in the 2025 NBA draft and will have the star trio of Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey. Additionally, plenty of veteran players are returning to the team this summer.

That puts the 76ers in a tough situation with Guerschon Yabusele. The French forward will be an unrestricted free agent over the summer as his one-year, $2 million deal will expire in the offseason.

In just one season with the team, he gained a significant number of followers and became a fan favorite.

Jake Fischer and Marc Stein reported on Thursday that the 76ers might not be able to re-sign the 6-foot-8 big man. Kelly Oubre Jr., Andre Drummond and Eric Gordon are all expected to exercise their player options to return to Philadelphia for the 2025-26 season. Because of that, re-signing Yabusele wouldn't be easy.

"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. 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 NBA insiders reported.

Stein and Fischer also reported that the 76ers are intent on re-signing Quentin Grimes. The insiders said that negotiating a new deal to keep Grimes is a priority for the organization this summer.

Yabusele had an amazing 2024-25 season, his first season back after leaving the league in 2019. He appeared in 70 games, averaged 11 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists.

The big man was the 16th pick in 2016 by the Boston Celtics. He played two seasons for the team that drafted him, but moved overseas after the Celtics waived him after the 2018-19 season. In the 2024 Paris Olympics, however, he was a vital piece to the French national basketball team, which earned him a contract with the 76ers.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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