When Guerschon Yabusele signed a two-year, $12 million deal with the New York Knicks over the summer, expectations were high for him. He came off a fantastic season with the Philadelphia 76ers after being out of the NBA for several years, and the opportunity to play on a title contender seemed like a great fit.
Knicks’ Guerschon Yabusele is having a rough season
Unfortunately, things have not gone as planned for him. Not only has he played poorly this season, but his playing time is very inconsistent. He is averaging just 9.8 minutes per game this season and hasn’t been a regular in Mike Brown’s rotation.
After seeming to be a big answer to the Knicks’ bench issues from last year, Yabusele’s time in New York could be short-lived. Monday marked the official date that he is eligible to be traded before the Feb. 5 deadline, and the Knicks will likely look to get something back in return for him.
Yabusele recently did an interview with French media outlet, Ouest France, and described how tough his first season with the Knicks has been.
“I don’t want to lie to you, it’s very difficult,” Yabusele said (h/t BasketNews). “I’m a competitor first. It’s not a situation I thought (I would be in) coming here.
“I try to be ready whenever my name is called. I try to control my impact on the court, no matter how much time I get.”
Yabusele’s Knicks future is murky
For the most part, Yabusele has only seen the court if one of their frontcourt players gets into foul trouble or if they are shorthanded due to injuries. His three-point shot has fallen flat, shooting just 29.5% from outside the arc.
Additionally, he is a step slow on the defensive end, constantly getting beaten off the dribble. In a system that asks for players to play fast on both ends of the floor, Yabusele has had a very tough time adapting, and his days as a Knick could be numbered.
Time will tell what happens moving forward with him, but, unfortunately, his first season with the Knicks has not panned out the way they had hoped it would.