Guerschon Yabusele faced a pivotal decision that shaped the Denver Nuggets' season. Opting for the Knicks, Yabusele left the Nuggets to find an alternative, leading them to acquire Jonas Valanciunas as a backup for Nikola Jokic. In hindsight, the Nuggets dodged a potential setback.
Yabusele signed a two-year, $11.7 million deal with the Knicks, but his impact was minimal. Averaging just 8.9 minutes per game, he managed 2.7 points and 2.1 rebounds across 41 games, all from the bench.
Seeking more playing time, Yabusele waived his player option for the next season, facilitating a trade to the Bulls in a three-team deal that also sent Jose Alvarado to the Knicks.
Sources reveal that Yabusele almost chose Denver over New York last offseason. Had he done so, the Nuggets might have faced a season plagued by low production and potential headaches.
The Nuggets' decision to bring in Jonas Valanciunas has proven wise. Valanciunas has delivered solid performances, averaging 9.0 points and 5.2 rebounds in 14.5 minutes off the bench, providing reliable support for Jokic.
From an advanced metrics perspective, Valanciunas outshines Yabusele on both ends. Yabusele's offensive rating with the Bulls stands at 106.6, while Valanciunas boasts a 115.3. Defensively, Valanciunas has a rating of 118.3, which, though below average, is far superior to Yabusele's 127.9, resulting in a troubling net rating of -21.3.
This scenario underscores how fortunate Denver has been. With injuries already testing the team's resilience, adding a less effective player could have complicated matters further. In this instance, the Nuggets clearly emerged on top.