The Knicks are well into the middle plank of this season, and if there is a hole in this roster, it’s likely up front. When healthy, with the emergence of Tyler Kolek and the eventual return of Landry Shamet (and now, too, Josh Hart), it appears the backcourt depth is much better than expected. The need to add another veteran point guard, which dominated the early chatter around this team’s trade-deadline plans, has dissipated.
But the frontcourt has been another story. The Knicks appeared to have a score when they brought in Guerschon Yabusele this offseason on a very reasonable two-year, $12 million contract, but as the season has gone on, it has become clear that coach Mike Brown could not find a spot for Yabusele in his offense, and certainly not in the defense.
Yabusele has averaged just 3.2 points in 9.3 minutes, making 30 appearances this season. This comes after he had a major comeback season last year with the Sixers, going for 11.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists after having spent the past five years playing internationally in China, France and Spain.
Guerschon Yabusele Still Has Trade Value for Knicks
One of the fears around Yabusele for the Knicks is that the reduction in playing time and production could signal the cratering of his trade market. And though he has seen his value diminish, if the Knicks want to move off of his contract, there will be takers–as long as they’re not expecting much of a return.
“They’re definitely looking for a backup big guy and the market is going to be pretty thin on those,” one Eastern Conference GM said. “They have been wanting to get another Isaiah Hartenstein kind of deal going and they’ve sort of been chasing that but that was lightning in a bottle.
“It’s probably not a situation where the Knicks can trade Yabu for another big guy straight up, but they could trade him with a second round pick to kind of dump off his salary, then look to bring in someone else. But he will have value. If they want to move him just to get him off the roster, they will have that option–they’ll have to add a pick. But it is only after that, then they can try to find someone else. They will need a Plan B.”
In Need of a Plan B
Again, there are not a lot of Plan Bs on the trade market this year, and the Knicks are aware of that. Their best option could, in the end, be trying to make things work with Yabusele. Even as he has admitted to being frustrated with his lack of a role, Yabusele has been a good locker room and practice presence–the Knicks have no issues with him, other than his lack of a fit.
“I’m just like you, I don’t know anything about it,” he said , in French, to L’Equipe. “As I’ve said, I’m trying not to complain too much about my situation anymore, to make do with what I’ve got, to give everything on the court. And when I need to be informed (about an eventual trade), I’ll be informed.”
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