The Knicks rolled the dice on Guerschon Yabusele this past offseason, hoping his size and versatility could give them a boost off the bench. Instead, they’ve found themselves holding a contract that’s becoming more of a burden than a benefit-and the decision to give him a player option for 2026-27 is only compounding the problem.
Right now, the Knicks would love to move on from Yabusele. And on paper, it seems doable-he’s only making $5.5 million this season, which barely moves the needle in today’s NBA economy.
But according to multiple league executives, New York won’t be able to offload him without attaching assets to sweeten the deal. That’s a tough pill to swallow for a team trying to stay flexible while pushing toward contention.
Yabusele’s Contract Is a Roadblock in the Knicks’ Trade Plans
Let’s be clear: moving a player like Yabusele was never going to be easy. He’s struggled to find a consistent role, and his impact on the floor hasn’t justified the investment.
But what’s really tying the Knicks’ hands is that $5.7 million player option for next season-a number he’s almost certainly going to pick up. For any team taking him on, that’s not just a short-term cap hit; it’s a commitment into next year.
And that’s where the real challenge begins. Say the Knicks try to attach a couple of second-rounders-like the ones they hold from the Washington Wizards in 2026 and 2027.
In this market, that might not even be enough to convince another team to take Yabusele’s contract, let alone send anything of value back. Those picks could end up being the price just to get out from under the deal.
Limited Trade Ammo Makes Things Tricky
The Knicks don’t have a ton of wiggle room here. They’re currently without a tradable first-round pick, and while they’ve got some intriguing young pieces, none are exactly lighting up the trade market.
Pacome Dadiet hasn’t shown enough yet to be considered a real asset, and while Tyler Kolek’s stock is rising, his production and team-friendly deal make him just about untouchable. The same goes for Deuce McBride, whose sub-$4 million salary next season gives the Knicks tremendous value.
So unless New York is willing to put a core piece like Mitchell Robinson or Josh Hart on the table-and there’s no indication they’re leaning that way-they might be stuck come the trade deadline.
Yabusele’s Fit-and His Contract-Are Both Problems
Let’s not pretend Yabusele was ever going to be a game-changer. But the hope was that he could at least be a functional rotation player, maybe even a matchup-dependent weapon.
That hasn’t materialized. And while the on-court struggles are frustrating, the off-court implications of his contract are arguably more damaging.
The Knicks are staring at a few less-than-ideal options. They can keep Yabusele on the books through the summer, which would push them closer to the second apron and limit their flexibility.
They can try to move him now, likely without getting much help in return. Or they could overpay in a trade-maybe for a bigger wing or a backup big-just to offset the damage done by the player option they handed out in the first place.
A Misstep That’s Now a Hurdle
It’s easy to pick apart decisions with the benefit of hindsight. At the time, the Yabusele signing didn’t raise many eyebrows.
But hindsight or not, the reality is that this move hasn’t panned out. Instead of being a depth piece, Yabusele has become a roadblock-one that’s limiting what the Knicks can do as they try to fine-tune their roster for a playoff push.
The front office has some tough choices ahead. Whether they decide to ride it out, get creative, or take a hit to make a move, one thing’s clear: the Yabusele experiment hasn’t worked, and now it’s something they’ll have to navigate carefully-both on the court and in the front office.