Tyrese Maxey Opens Up on Sixers Forward Departing for Knicks

Heading into free agency this summer, one major storyline for the Philadelphia 76ers was what will happen with Guerschon Yabusele. In light of the veteran forward's decision, one key member of the roster shared his thoughts on how things have unfolded.

After joining the Sixers following a standout showing in the Olympics, Yabusele went on to be one of the best value signings of the summer. He emerged as a pivotal piece to the roster, providing strong two-way play and lineup versatility in the frontcourt. Across 70 appearances for the Sixers in the regular season, Yabusele averaged 11.0 PPG and 5.6 RPG while shooting 38% from beyond the arc.

Following an impressive return to the NBA, Yabusele was expected to have multiple contenders eyeing his services in free agency. Though retaining him was a top priority, reports emerged Monday night that him returning to Philly seemed unlikely. This proved to be the case, as Tuesday morning Yabusele reportedly agreed to a multi-year deal to join the New York Knicks.

While speaking with NBC Sports Philadelphia's John Clark, Tyrese Maxey was asked about Yabusele departing for a conference rival. He opened up on the comedic jabs the two shared with one another before sharing how happy he is for his now-former teammate.

"He just sent me a text talking about how they gonna beat us four times," Maxey said. "I told him I'll make sure I call him up for a couple ball screens and switch on him and score a couple buckets on him...I love Yabu, extremely happy for him. Happy for his family, I'm glad that he's back over here."