Former Philadelphia 76ers forward made available on trade market

Guerschon Yabusele was a feel-good story for the Philadelphia 76ers last season. After being out of the NBA for five years, the Sixers signed Yabusele after a strong showing for France in the Paris Olympics and he became a major contributor for Philly.

In 70 games for the Sixers, Yabusele averaged 11.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 27.1 minutes per performance. All of those numbers represented career highs for the French forward.

As a result of his solid season with the Sixers, Yabusele earned the interest of some other teams in free agency over the offseason and he ultimately ended up signing a two-year, $11.7 million contract with the New York Knicks.

Unfortunately for Yabusele, things haven’t gone so smoothly for him in New York. He hasn’t been a major factor in the team’s rotation as he’s averaging just 9.6 minutes of action per game.

Knicks open to trade Guerschon Yabusele, but 76ers shouldn't be interested 

Unsurprisingly, his counting stats are down across the board and now the Knicks might be ready to move on. According to James L. Edwards of the Athletic, the Knicks are open to moving Yabusele prior to the trade deadline.

From a Sixers perspective, this is interesting news and for some fans in Philadelphia, the thought of a reunion probably popped into their heads. However, it’s not something that the Sixers should pursue.

Yabusele was a silver lining in an otherwise forgettable ’24-25 season for the Sixers, but his numbers and role were also inflated due to a myriad of injury issues and the fact that the team was out of playoff contention for weeks before the season mercifully came to an end.

Had the Sixers been at full strength last season, Yabusele wouldn’t have seen the floor nearly as much as he did. To put it bluntly, there was a reason that Yabusele was out of the league for a half-decade, and there’s probably a reason that he hasn’t been able carve out a consistent role for himself in New York.

Plus, this season the Sixers are well-equipped at forward in a way that they weren't last season. There’s Paul George, who has started to look like his old self in recent weeks, and a couple of surprising young contributors like Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker.

Kelly Oubre and Trendon Watford were also both playing some solid ball before being hit with injury issues, and both of those guys should be back in the not-too-distant future. It’s tough to make a case for Yabusele to play over any of those guys.

The Sixers are playing a quicker, more athletic style this season and Yabusele doesn't really fit that mold. So, while it might be fun to think about a reunion, there’s really no practical reason for the Sixers to consider it. Some things are just better left in the past.