What is the Lesson of the Failed Guerschon Yabusele Experiment?

When the Knicks signed Guerschon Yabusele in the offseason, it was heralded as a smart piece of cap maneuvering that addressed a real need: bench scoring and big man rotational depth. On paper, it made all the sense in the world. Coming off a year where Yabusele re-emerged in the NBA after a five-year absence, it seemed that Leon Rose and the Knicks found another value asset on the margins.

It goes without saying that the experiment has been a failure. In a since deleted post on X (formerly Twitter), Yabusele said:

"Whatever happens tomorrow, I'm extremely blessed to be in the position that I am today. Minor setback for major comeback that's my favorite. Love y'all."

The post indicates that Yabusele's short time as a Knick is coming to an end, which seems to be best for both parties. But why hasn't it worked? And what sort of player do the Knicks need to target to finally bolster the potency of their bench unit?

After five years playing in Europe, Yabusele re-entered the NBA conversation thanks to his performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where France earned the silver medal in men's basketball. He parlayed the success in that tournament to an NBA contract with the 76ers last season. He made the most of opportunity, appearing in 70 games and averaging 11 points on 38% from three.

For the Knicks, the prospect of adding Yabusele to the rotation made a ton of sense as a floor-stretching big who could make corner threes when Karl-Anthony Towns was on the bench. There was also a sense that the mixture of Yabusele, Towns, and Mitchell Robinson provided some variability for coach Mike Brown to unlock more of the Knicks’ offense.

The problem has been that Yabusele has not gotten into a shooting rhythm with the Knicks, shooting only 30.8% from three. He has also been mostly a net negative on defense, leading to frustration from Mike Brown.

On offense, he has ranked in the 18th percentile among bigs in effective field goal percentage, the 36th percentile in three-point shooting, and the 29th percentile in two-point shooting percentage. He is ironically, one of the best bigs in the league in long midrange attempts, with the only issue being that those attempts only account for 2% of his shot diet.

The story is (somehow) even worse on defense. Yabusele is in the 13th percentile in block percentage, the 1st percentile in steal percent, and the 44th percentile in defensive rebounding rate. Simply put, his output has been bad all around as a Knick.

Beyond just poor rhythm, it has been evident that his confidence has been completely shattered. Watching his minutes has been an exercise in watching an NBA player press too much, to be too conscious of a mistake that is bound to happen.

It's incredibly evident that Yabusele wants to be good as a Knick and to be a part of this team. But the issue is that no matter what he tries, it just hasn't clicked, leading us to wonder about the type of players that Leon Rose is targeting on the fringes of this roster.

When I think about the Yabusele and Jordan Clarkson signings from this past offseason, I can't help but be reminded of the Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier signings in 2021. Both moves brought in players who could shoot and score at a high level but were lacking defensively. Ultimately, the experiment in 2021 failed, and it seems that history has repeated itself with the impending Yabusele trade and the indication that Clarkson now finds himself out of the rotation.

There is a trend to notice here in the Leon Rose era when it comes to offensive-minded role players. When Rose has targeted players with defensive upside, the results have been largely positive. Isaiah Hartenstein and Donte DiVincenzo are probably the best examples of this working well. But even players like Nerlens Noel and Precious Achiuwa provided positive moments for the team.

When they have focused on offense-first additions, it seems to have faltered. Part of that can be attributed to fan pressure. For the most part, Knicks fans have an affinity for defensive-minded players who have that blue-collar lunchpail mentality.

It is no surprise that recent rumors have linked players like Yves Missi and Herb Jones as interested pieces for the Knicks. Those players have the sort of skill sets that are coveted and that this team needs.

Currently, the Knicks are 3rd in offensive rating but 17th in defensive rating. While the bench has been maligned for its lack of scoring upside throughout the Rose tenure, this team's defensive shortcomings are impossible to ignore. A secondary rim protector like Missi or a defensive-minded wing like Jones could address these problems without necessitating a Karl-Anthony Towns trade.

It can therefore be surmised that Yabusele was a signing more indicative of the flaws of Rose's methodology for team building on the margins. There is a desire to modernize the offense of this team, but it has become fair to wonder if that will ever be a viable solution for what plays and sells in this market.

At this juncture, trading Yabusele is a necessity. Both team and player are a poor fit for one another, and we have learned that the hard way. He needs a reset to continue his NBA career, and the Knicks need a bench piece that will not be in Mike Brown's doghouse. The real test of this experience is if Leon Rose has learned any lessons from this mistake. The type of players they pursue in the trade market will tell us a lot about his understanding of this team's identity and how to improve it.