When the New York Knicks signed power forward Guerschon Yabusele to a two-year, $12 million deal, the expectation was that he would be the primary backup power forward behind some of the other wings. However, his playing time has been spotty, and his role remains uncertain.
Knicks’ Guerschon Yabusele has gotten very little playing time
Yabusele played 14 minutes off the bench for the Knicks in Monday’s victory over the Washington Wizards, and while he was a +10 in his action, he scored just one point. In the two games before that, he had played a combined total of just five minutes, essentially being a non-rotation player.
Head coach Mike Brown went in-depth about Yabusele’s role and how they are trying to fit him into the rotation.
“He may play a whole bunch of minutes at times, he may play a few. He may not play at all. And that’s part of what our guys have to accept until we can figure out what we’re gonna do,” Brown said (h/t Posting and Toasting).
Yabusele still has an undefined role
Yabusele was getting some minutes in the first couple of games of the season, but he was mightily struggling. His jump shot was looking rough, and he looked to be a step slow on the defensive end.
Additionally, Yabusele came into camp a little heavier than last year, being officially listed at 283 pounds. Those factors are likely why the Knicks are struggling to find ample playing time for him, as the other pieces around him are providing a bigger impact.
Brown has clearly begun to use a more definite rotation in recent games. After using as many as 11 guys in the first couple of games this season, he has shortened the rotation to about nine or 10 players, and Yabusele has been one of those odd men out.
Nevertheless, he is still important to have around in the event of an injury of some kind. They have been without Mitchell Robinson in all but two games this year, leaving them thin in the frontcourt, so Yabusele will be a key piece to have down the road.