Guerschon Yabusele Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Fischer’s Latest: Yabusele, Kornet, Lopez, Hornets, Wolves, D. Robinson

June 28th, 2025 at 9:54pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Spurs weren’t successful in their attempt to trade for Kristaps Porzingis, who was ultimately sent from Boston to Atlanta, but they remain active in their pursuit of another big man, sources tell Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).

Fischer echoes a recent report from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype that San Antonio is eyeing Guerschon Yabusele. “Multiple well-placed observers” tell Fischer that the Spurs are viewed as the biggest threat to sign Yabusele, but he hears that the Sixers haven’t given up hopes of keeping him. Fischer notes that San Antonio has a powerful recruiting tool in Victor Wembanyama, Yabusele’s teammate on the French Olympic team. Fischer mentions the Bucks as another team that could make a play for Yabusele.

Yabusele outperformed his contract after returning to the NBA on a one-year, minimum-salary deal following last year’s Summer Games. He became a reliable front court anchor during an injury-plagued season for Philadelphia.

Celtics backup center Luke Kornet could be another Spurs target, Fischer adds.

Fischer shares more inside information from around the league:

The Bucks could be losing their starting center, as Brook Lopez returns to free agency after getting strong interest from San Antonio and Houston two years ago. Sources tell Fischer that the Lakers are expected to pursue Lopez to fill their vacancy in the middle, and he adds that even if L.A. winds up with another option such as Clint Capela, there’s a belief that Lopez plans to leave Milwaukee.
Point guards are likely to draw interest on the market beyond teams such as the Kings, Mavericks and Clippers that have obvious needs. Fischer hears that the Hornets are searching for a veteran to back up LaMelo Ball, who has been plagued by injury issues for most of his career and appeared in just 47 games this season. Fischer adds that the Timberwolves are expected to explore trade and free agency options to improve their backcourt, as it appears Nickeil Alexander-Walker is likely to leave in free agency.
The Heat are awaiting Duncan Robinson‘s decision on his early termination option, which is due by Sunday. Robinson is set to make $19.888MM next season, but only $9.9MM of that is guaranteed. If he opts in, Miami will have 48 hours to waive him after the moratorium ends on July 6 to avoid paying the full amount. Fischer points out that Robinson’s name has been mentioned in several trade rumors over the years, including the Heat’s recent pursuit of Kevin Durant.

And-Ones: 2025 Draft Grades, 2026 Class, France, Gabriel

June 28th, 2025 at 10:04am CST by Earnest Marshall

Five teams earned ‘A’ grades on Sam Vecenie’s post-draft report card for The Athletic, including four teams who had picks in the top six. The fifth team to earn an A was the Hawks, primarily for landing an unprotected 2026 first-round pick from the Pelicans to drop 10 spots in the middle of the first round.

Another 18 teams earned ‘B-‘ to ‘B+’ grades, meaning they mostly met or exceeded the value expected at their respective draft slots. Multiple clubs who only had second-round picks, like the Cavaliers and Warriors, found themselves in this tier. A few teams who ended up landing players who slid from pre-draft projections also ended up in this group, with the Jazz getting Ace Bailey at No. 5, the Heat landing Kasparas Jakucionis at No. 20 and the Thunder getting Thomas Sorber at No. 15.

That left five teams to earn a mark of ‘C’ or lower from Vecenie (Houston and Denver did not make any selections). The Pelicans were marked down for the haul they gave up to move up from No. 23 to No. 13 and select Derik Queen. The Nets were questioned for making three selections – Egor Demin, Nolan Traore and Ben Saraf – with positional overlap, while the Knicks earned a middling grade for selecting a stash player who may not make it to the league.

We have more from around the basketball world:

The 2026 draft looks to be loaded on paper, with a strong blend of returners who would have been drafted this year and high-level incoming talent. In ESPN’s first full 2026 mock draft, Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo have Darryn Peterson of Kansas as the No. 1 overall pick. A.J. Dybantsa (BYU), Cameron Boozer (Duke), Nate Ament (Tennessee) and Mikel Brown Jr. (Louisville) round out their top five. Among returning college players, Jayden Quaintance (No. 6, Kentucky) and Yaxel Lendeborg (No. 14, Michigan) are the highest-ranking.
Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report‘s top three looks identical to ESPN’s, but he has Arizona’s Koa Peat at No. 4 in his first 2026 mock draft. Another significant difference between the two boards is Baylor wing Tounde Yessoufou‘s spot — Wasserman has him at No. 6, but ESPN places him at No. 23.
France has named its 18-man preliminary roster for EuroBasket 2025, per the team (Twitter link). Bilal Coulibaly, Moussa Diabate, Ousmane Dieng, Zaccharie Risacher, Alex Sarr and Guerschon Yabusele are the current NBA players on the roster. Former NBAers on the team include Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, Frank Ntilikina and Theo Maledon, among others.
Former NBA player Wenyen Gabriel is leaving Panathinaikos to sign with Bayern Munich in Germany, according to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews. Gabriel played his first EuroLeague season in 2024/25, averaging 6.0 points per game, and will remain in the league by signing with Bayern. The 6’9″ big man played 150 NBA games from 2019-24 across stints with the Lakers, Pelicans, Trail Blazers, Kings and others. He averaged 4.4 PPG and 3.4 RPG for his career.

Spurs Among Teams Eyeing Guerschon Yabusele

June 23rd, 2025 at 3:40pm CST by Luke Adams

The Spurs are one of several teams expected to have interest in big man Guerschon Yabusele when he reaches free agency, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

The 16th overall pick in the 2016 draft, Yabusele came stateside a year later at age 21, but was unable to carve out a rotation role during two seasons in Boston from 2017-19. He returned overseas and honed his game in China, France, and Spain for five years before taking another shot at the NBA in 2024, when he signed a one-year, minimum-salary contract with the Sixers.

Yabusele’s second go-round in the league has gone much better than the first thus far. He played a more prominent role than expected for a banged-up Philadelphia team and averaged 11.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 27.1 minutes per game on .501/.380/.725 shooting across 70 outings (43 starts).

While the Sixers are reportedly interested in retaining Yabusele, they’ll only hold his Non-Bird rights, so they would need to use their mid-level exception to offer him more than 20% above his minimum. And Philadelphia may only have the $5.7MM taxpayer mid-level exception available, depending on how the rest of the club’s offseason plays out.

The Spurs could offer Yabusele the opportunity to reunite with fellow Frenchman Victor Wembanyama, his teammate at the Paris Olympics a year ago. With centers Charles Bassey, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and Bismack Biyombo all headed for unrestricted free agency, San Antonio will be in the market for frontcourt help this summer and should have the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception ($14.1MM) on hand to go free agent shopping.

We ranked Yabusele 26th on our list of the top 50 free agents of 2025 earlier today.

Stein/Fischer’s Latest: Durant, DeRozan, Kuminga, Sixers, Yabusele, Flagg

June 19th, 2025 at 8:05am CST by Arthur Hill

Potential moves around the NBA are on hold as the league waits for the Suns to finalize a Kevin Durant trade, according to Mark Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).

They mention Kings forward DeMar DeRozan as a player who could be a “fallback trade target” for unsuccessful Durant suitors and cite a report from James Ham of The Kings Beat, who said on his podcast this week that the Heat may be among the teams that pursue DeRozan.

Sources tell Stein and Fischer that Miami has previously expressed interest in forward Jonathan Kuminga, who’s about to become a restricted free agent, and could become a sign-and-trade partner for the Warriors, echoing a report earlier this week from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

After weeks of speculation, there still doesn’t appear to be a clear favorite to land Durant, who’s widely expected to be dealt before the first night of the NBA draft on Wednesday. Stein and Fischer state that the Spurs and Rockets haven’t seen a need to increase their offers, being reluctant to add an older player to their young cores and knowing that Phoenix wants to resolve the situation quickly. The Timberwolves are still interested, but are hesitant to go all in with their offer without some indication that Durant would consider an extension.

Stein and Fischer share more inside information from around the league:

A source tells the authors that the Sixers are currently expected to hold onto their No. 3 pick in the draft. They add that Philadelphia is still interested in trading up with San Antonio to grab Rutgers guard Dylan Harper, but the Spurs appear set on keeping the No. 2 selection. The report on the Sixers’ plans came before news broke late Wednesday that Ace Bailey has called off his scheduled workout with the team.
Stein and Fischer point out that the guaranteed contract for the No. 3 choice will add an $11.1MM salary to the Sixers‘ books next season. Sources tell them that Philadelphia plans to operate either near or above the second apron as they hope for improved health from Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey. Stein and Fischer expect Kelly Oubre, Andre Drummond and Eric Gordon to all pick up their player options, and sources tell them that re-signing Quentin Grimes remains an offseason priority. They add that it will become “increasingly challenging” to retain big man Guerschon Yabusele, who’s expected to draw strong interest on the free agent market.
Stein and Fischer hear that Cooper Flagg was “impressive” this week as he traveled to Dallas to meet with general manager Nico Harrison, coach Jason Kidd and other Mavericks officials. Flagg also worked out for about an hour, displaying the skills that have made him a lock to be the No. 1 pick.

Eastern Notes: Yabusele, Sixers Arena, Hawks, Mazzulla

June 9th, 2025 at 9:57pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Guerschon Yabusele is “excited” to see how his free agency plays out and plans to remain in the NBA, he told Cyro Asseo de Choch of Hoops Hype. The Sixers big man was one of the few bright spots for the franchise this season after playing in Europe from 2020-24. He posted averages of 11.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 27.1 minutes per game while appearing in 70 contests.

He’ll be an unrestricted free agent after playing for the veteran’s minimum.

“We will see those options also with the upcoming summer when we’re going to know a little bit what’s going on,” he said. “I know the Sixers are going to look change some pieces in the roster, so you have to wait also to see what’s gonna happen but the draft’s gonna set everything pretty much for every team to know where they’re going with the trades and stuff like that.

“I guess we’ll see soon, but I’m pretty excited. It’s going to be my first time really enjoying free agency, especially in the NBA. I’m pretty excited just to hear the offers, to see what’s going on, to see the movement. This summer is going to have a lot of movement on every team, so to be able to be part of that is just amazing.”

We have more from the Eastern Conference:

The Sixers and Comcast Spectacor have selected an architecture firm to design their new arena, according to Jake Blumgart of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Populous, a global arena design firm, will craft the plans for the new South Philadelphia structure. It’s scheduled to open in 2031, replacing the Wells Fargo Center.
Asa Newell (Georgia), Clifford Omoruyi (Alabama), Will Richard (Florida) and Jase Richardson (Michigan State) were among the players who worked out for the Hawks on Monday, Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets. Richardson and Newell are considered first-round talents. They are currently ranked No. 20 and 21, respectively, on ESPN’s Best Available list. The Hawks hold the No. 13 and 22 picks in the first round.
Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla has been spotted in Turkey on an apparent scouting mission, Chema de Lucas tweets. Mazzulla could be there to take a look at Euroleague star Nigel Hayes-Davis, who plays for Fenerbahçe and has drawn interest from Boston in the past. Hayes-Davis had a brief stay in the NBA in 2017/18, playing nine games for three teams.

Sixers Notes: Yabusele, Draft, Oubre, Grimes, McCain

June 8th, 2025 at 10:46am CST by Arthur Hill

Guerschon Yabusele accepted a one-year, minimum-salary contract with the Sixers when he decided to return to the NBA, and his performance on that deal has him positioned for a much bigger payday this summer as an unrestricted free agent. The 29-year-old power forward talked about his experience during a recent interview with Basketball Network (hat tip to Souichi Terada of MassLive).

“The main thing, for me, when I decided to go back to the NBA was to enjoy this time,” Yabusele said. “Because the first time, when it stopped, and you realize it’s done fast. It took me five years to come back. So I really decided the main thing was to go over there to enjoy and gain that experience and try to get better. I was happy that I was able to perform.”

Yabusele was a first-round pick by the Celtics in 2016 and came stateside a year later, but he wasn’t able to earn consistent playing time during his two seasons in Boston. He developed into a star with Real Madrid in the EuroLeague, then rekindled NBA interest with a strong showing while representing France in last year’s Summer Olympics.

Philadelphia had a difficult season, but team-wide injury woes gave Yabusele plenty of opportunity to display his skills. He appeared in 70 games, making 43 starts and averaging 11.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 27.1 minutes per night with .501/.380/.725 shooting numbers.

“It was a good season,” he said. “All the ups and downs. I was able to go out there and really experience, for the first time, being in the league.”

There’s more from Philadelphia:

The Sixers’ decision with the No. 3 pick will have huge implications for the teams drafting directly behind them, notes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Rutgers forward Ace Bailey is frequently linked with Philadelphia in mock drafts, but Baylor guard V.J. Edgecombe and Texas guard Tre Johnson could be in the mix as well, with some scouts viewing them as better long-term prospects than Bailey. The Sixers may also consider trading down — one executive told Pompey that a couple of teams slotted after Philadelphia are conducting “heavy research” on the possibility of moving up to No. 3.
In the same piece, Pompey states that forward Kelly Oubre is expected to pick up his $8.3MM player option for next season. That echoes a report from Marc Stein last month. Pompey also hears that the Sixers are optimistic about their chances of re-signing free agent guard Quentin Grimes, who averaged 21.9 PPG after being acquired from Dallas in February.
Rookie guard Jared McCain covered Game 1 of the NBA Finals as part of the league’s Player Correspondent Program. The endeavor provides experience for players who may be interested in media careers after retirement. Miami’s Jaime Jaquez, Atlanta’s Dyson Daniels and Chicago’s Matas Buzelis are also participating this year.

Sixers Notes: Yabusele, Embiid, George, Bailey

May 17th, 2025 at 6:06pm CST by Arthur Hill

Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey is making it known that re-signing free agent forward Guerschon Yabusele will be an offseason priority. In a recent appearance on the Rights to Ricky Sanchez podcast, Morey was asked if he had a message for Yabusele, who was slated to join the hosts on draft lottery night (hat tip to HoopsHype).

“He’s really embraced Philly, which is exciting,” Morey responded. “He’s going to have many great options—I mean, he’s very valued around the league. So, hopefully he understands how important he is to us and to the fans of Philly. Him being at your event—I think you might actually help us in free agency by having him there.”

Morey delivered a similar message with “Kincade and Salciunas” on 97.5 The Fanatic (hat tip to Sportando), saying, “Yabusele’s an unrestricted free agent so we will look to re-sign him, but historically in the league, that tends to be a harder situation, but it would be awesome if we could get him back.”

Yabusele played two years in Boston, then spent five seasons in Europe before rekindling NBA interest with a strong performance in the Summer Olympics. He signed a one-year deal with Philadelphia last August and was one of the few bright spots in an injury-filled season, averaging 11.0 points and 5.6 rebounds per night in 70 games.

The Sixers only hold Yabusele’s Non-Bird rights, so they’re limited to offering him a 120% raise above his minimum salary unless they use part of their mid-level exception. He has expressed a desire to remain in Philadelphia, but he may get better offers on the open market.

There’s more on the Sixers:

Morey has expressed optimism that Joel Embiid can return to his MVP form, but the odds are against it, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer states in a mailbag column. Embiid, 32, is coming off two significant operations on his left knee within 14 months. The star center’s recovery progress this summer will be closely watched, but it’s possible that knee issues will continue to bother him for the rest of his career.
There won’t be much of a market if the team tries to unload Paul George‘s contract during the offseason, Pompey predicts in the same piece. Injuries limited George to 41 games this season, and he still has three years and $162.3MM left on the contract he signed as a free agent last summer. Age is another concern as he turned 35 earlier this month, and Pompey notes that any executive would be risking his job by trading for George if it doesn’t work out.
Ace Bailey, who’s considered a strong possibility to be selected by the Sixers with the No. 3 pick, listed George as one of his player comparisons in an interview at the draft combine (Twitter video link from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype). “Big three. KD (Kevin Durant), Paul George and Jayson Tatum,” Bailey said. “George and Tatum, their creation for them to get their shot off is unbelievable. I see myself doing the same thing. KD in the mid post with one, two dribbles, or less is straight buckets.”

Sixers Rumors: Oubre, Drummond, Gordon, Grimes, Yabusele, Bona

May 11th, 2025 at 6:36pm CST by Luke Adams

The Sixers should plan on having Kelly Oubre, Andre Drummond, and Eric Gordon on their books this summer, according to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). Oubre, Drummond, and Gordon all hold player options for next season, but are considered likely to exercise them before the June 29 deadline.

That doesn’t necessarily mean all three players will still be on Philadelphia’s roster when the 2025/26 season tips off, since any of them could be traded after opting in. But it does mean the Sixers will have to account for their respective cap hits this offseason — Oubre’s option is worth $8.38MM, Drummond’s is for $5MM, and Gordon’s would pay him $3.47MM.

Assuming all three players pick up their options, the amount of guaranteed money on Philadelphia’s cap for next season would increase to approximately $166MM for seven players. That figure doesn’t include the cap hold for their first-round pick – which they may or may not keep, depending on the lottery results – or new deals for free agents like Quentin Grimes and Guerschon Yabusele.

Next season’s luxury tax line projects to be at $187.9MM.

Here’s more on the Sixers:

The 76ers are projecting confidence that they’ll be able to re-sign Grimes, according to Stein and Fischer. Grimes will be eligible for restricted free agency this offseason after failing to come to terms on a rookie scale extension with Dallas last fall. The Mavericks didn’t get up to $10MM per year with their offer at that time, per Stein and Fischer, but the 25-year-old looks like a good bet to get a deal exceeding that annual salary this summer after a breakout 2024/25 season that included a 21.9 PPG scoring average in 28 games as a Sixer.
League sources also continue to tell Stein and Fischer that Philadelphia hopes to re-sign Yabusele and made moves at the trade deadline (namely, dealing Caleb Martin) to create more financial flexibility to retain him. Yabusele’s Non-Bird rights won’t allow for much of a raise, so the Sixers will likely have to dip into their mid-level exception to make a competitive offer.
Speaking to TRT Spor, Ergin Ataman, the head coach of the Turkish national team indicated that the plan is for Sixers big man Adem Bona to participate in the EuroBasket tournament this summer (hat tip to Eurohoops). “Last week, our sporting director Alper Yilmaz visited him, and Adem is very enthusiastic about playing for the national team,” Ataman said of the 22-year-old, who is coming off his rookie season in Philadelphia. “He’ll be coming for the European championship.”
Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey appeared on the Rights To Ricky Sanchez podcast (YouTube link) this week to discuss a number of Sixers-related topics, including the team’s lottery pick, Joel Embiid‘s knee injury, and more.

Warriors’ Draymond Green Wins 2024/25 Hustle Award

April 25th, 2025 at 1:23pm CST by Rory Maher

Warriors forward/center Draymond Green has won the NBA’s Hustle Award for the 2024/25 season, the league announced today (story via Brian Martin of NBA.com).

The Hustle Award has been around since the ’16/17 campaign. Unlike other postseason awards, it is not voted on by the media.

Instead, the award goes to the player who has the top composite ranking in nine “hustle stats” — charges drawn, deflections, screen assists, contested two-point shots, contested three-point shots, offensive loose balls recovered, defensive loose balls recovered, offensive box outs, and defensive box outs.

As Martin writes, Green didn’t lead the NBA in any of those nine categories, but he was in the top 15 in five and became the first winner in the award’s history to rank in the top 40 in all nine.

The Hustle Award is meant to honor players “who make the effort plays that don’t often appear in the traditional box score but impact winning on a nightly basis,” per Martin.

Green, who finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting this season, was runner-up for the Hustle Award on two other occasions, Martin notes. Thunder guard Cason Wallace finished second behind Green, with Sixers forward Guerschon Yabusele, Thunder wing Luguentz Dort, and Hawks guard Dyson Daniels rounding out the top five.

Thunder swingman Alex Caruso won the Hustle Award in ’23/24 while playing for the Bulls. Wizards guard Marcus Smart has won the award three times.

Sixers Notes: Oubre, Nurse, Yabusele

April 20th, 2025 at 4:01pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Following an underwhelming 2024/25 season for the Sixers, forward Kelly Oubre Jr. is looking to recapture the attitude that made him a beloved figure in Philadelphia, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

After a solid 2023/24 run, Oubre inked a two-year, $16.4MM deal in free agency last summer to stay with the Sixers. Despite re-signing Oubre and adding nine-time All-Star Paul George, Caleb Martin and Andre Drummond, among others, the Sixers struggled with health and chemistry issues, and ultimately went 24-58.

In his 60 healthy games this past season, Oubre averaged 15.1 PPG, 6.1 RPG and 1.8 APG. Although the 6’8″ pro had endeared himself to the Philadelphia faithful during his first year in town, Oubre felt like he wasn’t himself this season amidst all the team’s losing.

“I’m bringing the swag back, and all I know is that I’ll come back better than I was this year,”Oubre said of his approach to 2025/26. “I’m going to year 11 in my career. So it’s a blessing. I’m blessed to still be here… But at the end of the day, man, I’m not satisfied with the way I’m perceived by you guys, fans, for what I do bring to the NBA. So tsunami’s back.”

There’s more out of the City of Brotherly Love:

Sixers head coach Nick Nurse may not have been the problem during last year’s lost season, but he’ll need more injury luck out of his roster next season to prove it, opines Pompey in another piece. Philadelphia GM Daryl Morey asserted that both he and Nurse would return for at least next year. While All-Stars Joel Embiid, George and Tyrese Maxey missed a cumulative 134 games, Pompey notes that detractors have pointed to Nurse’s occasionally puzzling lineup decisions, team leadership, and relationship with referees as potential areas of long-term concern.
One of the Sixers’ few free agent signings who surpassed offseason expectations, forward Guerschon Yabusele could now be in line for a big raise this summer, writes Pompey in an a separate Inquirer story. After spending several years out of the league, the 6’7″ vet posted averages of 11 PPG, 5.6 RPG, and 1.2 APG. He also connected on a career-high 38% of his triple tries. An unrestricted free agent this summer, Yabusele is only eligible for a 20% raise on his $2.1MM minimum salary, since he only has Non-Bird rights. He could also be signed into the team’s mid-level exception — the 76ers could have either the taxpayer or non-taxpayer version available, depending on their financial commitments to other players. According to Pompey, Yabusele’s play this year guarantees he’ll be worth more than that 20% raise on his minimum deal. With $149.1MM in guaranteed money already committed to just four Sixers players and a $154.6MM projected salary cap, Philadelphia will have to tread carefully if it hopes to retain Yabusele.
In case you missed it, George is hoping that he, Embiid and Maxey can spend more time together this summer in an effort to improve the trio’s chemistry.