Not Joel Embiid & Paul George, but Daryl Morey’s Major Decision at Fault as Locker Room Issue Emerges

The Philadelphia 76ers’ structural failure can’t essentially be blamed on anybody. A string of injuries to their core players diverted their focus from being a playoff chaser to fighting for the lottery. That’s not how it was supposed to be. Fortified with Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey, the lifelines of their team shook teams around the league.

Unfortunately, PG13 had one of his worst seasons, and Embiid was shut down after just 62 games. Yet, that’s not where their season fell apart. Even with the former MVP out of action, Guerschon Yabusele was determined. “We should have trust a little bit more and try to let the guys come back to be able to pursue, try to get to the playoffs,” he revealed.

The 76ers though, opted for another part. After Paul George was shut down, their focus shifted to curtailing salary in an effort to land a top draft pick. Hence, they made several trades, bringing in Quentin Grimes, Jared Butler, and other 10-day contract players to fill up the void in their roster.

Internally, they had waved the white flag. However, Yabusele feels that if the franchise had shown some trust, they would still have had a chance to compete. However, the frantic player movement never allowed for any stability.

“I feel like when we changed that, basically we changed, you know, four guys or something like that. And then there’s like four new guys coming up. And then it was a lot of guys who kept getting signed for 10-day contracts, hanging them around. So it was hard to find the chemistry, you know, with the teammates,” he said on the Roommates Show.

At least the French forward was willing to go the extra mile. As one of the few healthy players, he “tried” to give his best alongside his teammates. It included an exhausting start to his NBA return, having to play center while Joel Embiid recovered from his persistent knee injuries. It proved to be futile.

But after a four-year hiatus, Guerschon Yabusele wants his NBA story to be memorable. His belief about being ready, though, came months before his move to Philly.

The Olympics, a game-changer for Guerschon Yabusele

The Paris Olympics were the perfect stage for France to showcase their basketball evolution. Playing at home and inspired by the fan support, their team reached the Finals. And within that, Yabusele was an integral piece to the puzzle. His memorable dunk on LeBron James, eye-opening performances all put him on notice.

And he himself felt it. “I don’t know, the whole Olympic, I was just feeling good. You know, physically, mentally, everything seems to be at the right spot, you know?.. Then after the semifinals, I was talking for some more. I remember there was a reporter there, and I was telling him, like, I think it’s time, you know, to start, you know, teasing a little bit, telling people that, you know, I was ready,” he told his new Knicks teammates.

For four years before that, Guerschon Yabusele played around the world. It enabled him to gain confidence and work on his game. So once he was ready, there came a tweet.

But his first year back wasn’t the same as when he was with the Boston Celtics. He immediately noticed a huge change around the league. “I mean, people are so fast now. What’s going on?” he told Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart. It took some time, but having adjusted, Yabusele is ready for another challenge.

The Knicks’ fandom is incredibly excited to have the explosive forward as part of their depth. It was much needed, and Yabusele can truly help the team reach its ceiling.