The Philadelphia 76ers have had a season to forget. Joel Embiid struggled with injuries all year before getting shut down. Paul George hasn’t been healthy all year. Even promising players like rookie Jared McCain have suffered season-ending injuries. They are 12th in the Eastern Conference and are running out of time to make a playoff push. One bright spot has been Guerschon Yabusele. He rose to fame for his performance in the Olympics, and the team signed him to a one-year deal. His play has been good, and he should get a lot of interest in free agency this offseason. Yabusele opened up about free agency and his time with the 76ers.
Philadelphia 76ers Guerschon Yabusele On Free Agency
Guerschon Yabusele was a first-round pick by the Boston Celtics in the 2016 NBA Draft. He played for two seasons and then was cut, playing overseas for the next handful of years. This summer, he was a huge reason why France was able to make it to the gold medal game before losing to the United States. The Philadelphia 76ers signed him, and he has kept the momentum going. He has played in 56 games with 29 starts, averaging 10.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game. The French player recently got candid about his upcoming free agency.
“I’ve never been in that situation, so I have no idea how this will be, but I’m pretty excited to see the summer coming and see what we’ll have on the table. Of course, it’s going to be a long conversation. It’s not something I’m going to think about overnight. I’m going to take my time and see what the options are. Having that option and chance to be back here is definitely something I love to hear”.
This is something new for Guerschon Yabusele. During his NBA career, he has never been in a position where multiple teams are interested in signing him to a deal. It does seem like he would love to be back with the Philadelphia 76ers. The team could definitely use him, considering the long-term health of Embiid is up in the air.
Future Outlook
There is so much doom and gloom around the Philadelphia 76ers that I will take a different route. The Embiid situation is bad. There is no way around it. However, this season has been marred by injuries to everyone else, too. If everyone else on the team had been completely healthy, this team probably would have had a different trajectory. In the long run, Tyrese Maxey continues to show he can be a franchise player. George isn’t the player he was, but he still has something left in the tank. McCain was the favorite for Rookie of the Year before his injury.
If the team can re-sign Guerschon Yabusele, there’s a solid core. Daryl Morey has shown an ability to get quality free agents and build a winning team. If they can make a few savvy signings and hit on their draft pick, this team could be right back in the thick of the Eastern Conference race. There are definitely issues and reasons to be pessimistic, but things change fast in the NBA. (Just ask Dallas Mavericks fans.) If the 76ers can get a few things to bounce their way, the team will be fine in the long run.
Final Thoughts
Yabusele is a sports story everyone loves to hear. This guy has continued to work at his craft, and it finally paid off for him. Regardless of where he signs, he should get the biggest contract he has ever seen. These are the kinds of stories we love to hear, and many NBA fans are cheering for him regardless of where he ends up.
