Jan 15, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Guerschon Yabusele (28) in action against the New York Knicks during the fourth quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Knicks Player Shares Unfortunate Reality Behind Sixers Exit

Originally posted on Philadelphia 76ers on SI
By Justin Grasso | Last updated Jul 5, 2025 12:19 PM ET

Guerschon Yabusele managed to drive up his value during his lone run with the Philadelphia 76ers. As the 2024-2025 NBA season played out, it was becoming clear Yabusele was a potential flight risk in free agency. However, the Sixers were expected to prioritize bringing back the 29-year-old forward.

Did they actually? The veteran forward’s “transparent” comments recently suggest that he felt that wasn’t the case.

“I was thinking to myself, ‘Oh my god, I could go back,’” Guerschon Yabusele said on SKWEEK TV. “I didn’t really have any issues over there like I want to leave, no. I was like, ‘Ok, if they want to re-sign me and then they give me something good, I will come back, for sure. And if they want me to leave, then I will leave.’ I didn’t have any hard feelings or hard times. But they almost didn’t make really like an offer.”

Guerschon Yabusele opens up on leaving the Sixers and his decision not to stay in Philly

Guerschon Yabusele s’exprime sur son départ des Sixers et son choix de ne pas rester à Philadelphie pic.twitter.com/0liYYWtQXO
— SKWEEK (@skweektv) July 4, 2025

While the veteran forward confirmed the Sixers did make an offer to retain him, he claims that it was “really, really low.” As a result, Yabusele felt he wasn’t actually wanted in Philadelphia.

“It was I felt like, ‘Oh my god, you guys, it seems like you don’t really want me to stay, kind of.’ So it was a situation,” Yabusele finished.

As expected, the Sixers have had a quiet offseason. After spending big last summer, adding multiple max contracts to the payroll, the team wasn’t looking to splurge this time around. Instead, they hoped to retain Quentin Grimes and Yabusele. Neither move has been completed at this point.

While the Sixers have extended a qualifying offer to Grimes, the veteran guard is still waiting for the right offer to sign this summer. As for Yabusele, he inked a two-year deal, worth a reported $12 million, with the Knicks.

With Yabusele out the door, the Sixers inked the veteran Trendon Watford after his stint with the Brooklyn Nets. Their latest move was adding the Portland Trail Blazers forward, Jabari Walker, on a two-way deal.

Last season, the Sixers watched Yabusele flourish in Nick Nurse’s system, averaging 11 points, six rebounds, and two assists. He made 50 percent of his shots from the field and drained 38 percent of his threes.

After betting on himself with a one-year deal back in the NBA, Yabusele will move on, joining the Knicks.