Bring the Dancing Bear back to Boston.
Not Keytar Bear, nor Blades the Bruin. We’re talking about the French phenom, Guerschon Yabusele, who put up 21 points on the Celtics Sunday night, and 38 points against Denver two nights before.
Brad Stevens and his crew should seriously consider trading for Yabusele before Thursday’s deadline to improve the team’s depth and, well, shake things up a little for the defending champs.
Michael Scotto first noted interest from several teams in the 29-year-old last weekend, hours before the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers shocked the league with the unprecedented Luka Dončić/Anthony Davis trade. Understandably, a Yabusele report generated a little less mayhem in media circles.
The Celtics have a the best top-seven rotation in the league. But once Joe Mazzulla taps further down the bench past Payton Pritchard, (as he often has in recent weeks), the performance becomes unpredictable. Jaden Springer showed up in clutch moments against the Clippers. Luke Kornet has proven he can be serviceable substitute in most double-big lineups. It’s not as if there aren’t role players in the so-called “Stay Ready” group. Where the Celtics lack depth for the back half of the season, however, is at wing. Yabusele could be an answer.
The big-bodied forward was a highly-touted European prospect when Boston drafted him 16th overall in 2016. He spent much of his time with the organization in 2017 and 2018 with the Maine G-League team and the Celtics ultimately waived him in 2019 – much to the consternation of fans. He bopped over the Chinese Basketball Association and the EuroLeague, and it looked like the NBA had said, ‘Au Revoir, Dancing Bear.’
Cue the 2024 Summer Olympics, where Yabusele recorded 22 points and 5 rebounds in a Team France victory over Canada, and then 20 points in a Finals loss to the United States. He was honored on the Olympic All-Second Team.
Now, he’s playing more minutes than ever for the 76ers on a trade-friendly, $2 million contract, and averaging 11 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. He’s in visibly improved shape and on a team going nowhere.
Philadelphia is too hampered by injuries to make a serious run, and they would be wise to sell high on Yabusele now, even if it’s to one of their conference rivals.
It’s important to keep in mind the restrictions Stevens will face at the deadline given Boston’s exceeded standing in the CBA’s second apron.
In order to bring a player like Yabusele back to Boston, Stevens will be prohibited from combining multiple salaries or sending cash out in a trade to incentivize the Sixers. The Celtics can also take back just 100% of outgoing salaries. Usually, teams are able to add 20% or more to those outgoing contracts, but their hands are tied by CBA penalties.
If the front office can make the math work, a reunion between Yabusele and the Celtics would be a nice tweak ahead of the All-Star break to fill out the Celtics’ bench.