The Chicago Bulls’ decision to trade for Guerschon Yabusele surprised many around the NBA, but not as much as the news that came shortly after.
The big man was on a two-year, $12.0 million deal with the New York Knicks. He earned the contract with the contender following a very solid 2024-25 campaign with the Philadelphia 76ers. Clocking plenty of minutes for the banged-up Philly team, he averaged 11.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists on 51.0 percent shooting from the field.
Nevertheless, as the Knicks’ season got underway with high expectations, Yabusele found himself crashing back down to earth. He looked far more like the incomplete player who inevitably left the NBA after a two-year stint with the Boston Celtics between 2017 and 2019. New York played him only 8.9 minutes a night, resulting in an ugly 2.7 points per game on sub-40 percent shooting.
All things considered, this made Chicago’s decision to trade for the forward even more confusing. Why take on a struggling 30-year-old big owed more money for no additional assets? There wasn’t a good answer … until there was.
Reports broke that Yabusele chose to forgo his player option for the 2026-27 season. In other words, he gave up roughly $5.8 million for the chance to play with the Chicago Bulls. It felt like a crazy decision, particularly for a player who didn’t look worth that upcoming payday in free agency. However, based on what Yabsuele had to say to SNY’s Ian Begley, it sure sounds like he would do it again.
Guerschon Yabusele Wanted More Opportunity