It’s hard to argue with the moves that the Nuggets made this offseason, but one player who would have fit like a glove is Guerschon Yabusele, who ended up signing with the Knicks. Yabu was drafted by the Celtics in 2016, but after a couple of disappointing seasons, he headed back to Europe.
But after playing some great ball overseas, then starring at the Paris Olympics for the French side that took home a Silver Medal, Yabu got another chance in the NBA with the 76ers last season and he took advantage of the opportunity.
In a brutal, lost season for Philly, Yabusele was one of the few bright spots, averaging 11 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game in 70 appearances. He showed the ability to stretch the floor, hitting 38% of his three-point attempts on the year, and also battled down low, using his size to put in a solid defensive showing.
He did a little bit of everything with a nice inside and out game that allows him to play either big position despite his 6’8” frame. He’ll be a great addition to a Knicks team that was undone by a short bench and a lack of versatility. Yabsuele should help solve both of those issues for one of the favorites in the East.
Yabusele would have been perfect fit in Denver
Bill Simmons brought up Yabu on his most recent podcast episode, calling him the one player he wished the Nuggets had signed. It’s a great point, as Denver still has much of their midlevel exception and an open roster spot. Adding another versatile big man would have been a great move, with some uncertainty around the aging Jonas Valanciunas and the unproven DaRon Holmes.
Yabu could have bolstered the bench and also been able to play alongside Nikola Jokic. The team hasn’t had a true stretch-big in ages, and he could have provided that without sacrificing any beef up front.
He’s also still just 29 years old and doesn’t have a ton of tread on his tires. That’s not the case anymore with Valanciunas, who appeared ready to retire from the NBA and go play out the rest of his career in Europe just a couple of months ago.
Ultimately, the Nuggets should be fine, and Yabusele would have been a luxury. But still, it’s a luxury they could have afforded, and it would have been the kind of move that could put them completely over the top. It’s a wasted opportunity, and one that we can only hope the Nuggets don’t end up regretting.