The New York Knicks are bolstering their frontcourt by signing Philadelphia 76ers forward Guerschon Yabusele.
Yabusele, 29, was a first-round pick by the Boston Celtics in the 2016 NBA Draft, but he was unable to stick on the roster in his first two seasons in the league. He returned to Europe, improved his game and earned a spot on the French national team for the 2024 Summer Olympics, where he led his country to a silver medal.
Yabusele's efforts in the Paris Olympics led him to sign a contract with the Sixers, where he shined in his first season back in the NBA. Those efforts are why Bleacher Report writer Andy Bailey gave the Knicks a "B+" for signing Yabusele.
"After spending several years overseas, Guerschon Yabusele had a breakout campaign for the injury-plagued Philadelphia 76ers in 2024-25. He averaged 11.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.5 threes in 27.1 minutes per game while shooting a career-high 38.0 percent from deep," Bailey wrote.
"He may not be mobile enough to always stay in front of NBA forwards on the perimeter, and he may not be tall enough to deal with starting 5s. But as a tweener who can at least survive at either spot against second units, his outside shooting and versatility could be a significant boost to the New York Knicks' bench."
Yabusele is expected to take over for Precious Achiuwa as the team's backup power forward. Achiuwa signed a one-year deal last offseason and is a free agent this summer. With him and Yabusele playing similar positions, the Knicks may choose to move on.
The Knicks cannot officially sign Yabusele until the new league year begins on Sunday, July 6, just a few days before the start of Las Vegas Summer League on July 10.
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