The New York Knicks got involved in the NBA free agency bonanza this week, signing French forward Guerschon Yabusele to a two-year deal. After making the Eastern Conference Finals last season, the Knicks have been busy retooling their team. Their core is set, but they needed to improve their depth. Yabusele had a solid season with the Philadelphia 76ers after his breakout performance in the Summer Olympics. In a recent interview, he revealed why he decided to sign with the Knicks.
Guerschon Yabusele on his decision to join the Knicks:
“I feel like their team really matched my
DNA to fight, to play hard… I really think in their system, I can be really helpful”via @skweektv pic.twitter.com/6fataGt6QN
— NBA Retweet (@RTNBA) July 4, 2025
Guerschon Yabusele and the New York Knicks are a match made in heaven. New York desperately needed some frontcourt depth behind Karl-Anthony Towns. While Yabusele is a little undersized, he averaged 11.0 points and 5.7 rebounds in 27.1 minutes per game last season for Philadelphia. He can now bring his energy and toughness to a Knicks team that is looking to take advantage of a depleted Eastern Conference. Yabusele talked in a recent interview about why he chose the Knicks.
“I feel like their team really matched my DNA to fight, to play hard… I really think in their system, I can be really helpful.”
The New York Knicks are a scrappy team. They play hard and try to grind their opponents down with superior effort. This is a hallmark of Yabusele’s game. It’s easy to see how he will fit into the rotation. With how many teams are expected to regress in the East, could the Knicks make another run next year?
The New York Knicks have a solid eight-to-nine-man rotation. They hired former Coach of the Year winner Mike Brown this week after firing Tom Thibodeau. Some of the optimism for next year isn’t just about the roster, but also about what is happening to the other teams in the East. Cleveland is the only team in the conference that has stayed mostly intact. The Boston Celtics have traded away two big pieces and will be without Jayson Tatum next year.
The Indiana Pacers surprisingly lost Myles Turner and will be without Tyrese Haliburton for the year. Milwaukee has major questions, and Detroit has to prove it can sustain success for multiple seasons. It isn’t hard to see the New York Knicks getting the top seed in the conference with Jalen Brunson and company having another solid year together.
The New York Knicks weren’t going to make any big changes to the roster this offseason. However, that doesn’t mean they didn’t make impact signings. Yabusele is a perfect fit and seems excited to help bring a championship back to the storied franchise.
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