76ers Free Agent Outlines Key Priorities Before Negotiations

As the 2024-2025 NBA season played out, everybody watching the Philadelphia 76ers on a nightly basis couldn’t help but think that the veteran forward Guerschon Yabusele was on pace to get paid a nice salary bump this upcoming summer.

While that could still be the case, it seems Yabusele isn’t just thinking about the money. In fact, he isn’t even thinking about collecting a ton of minutes. Yabusele surely wants to play an important role for a team, but he prefers to be in a winning situation over anything.

During a sitdown with BeBasket, the French forward made his free agency desires clear.

Apr 5, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Guerschon Yabusele (28) shields the ball from Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) in the third quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

“I had fun this year,” Yabusele said. “We had a winning streak during which I played a lot, attacked, defended, hit threes — I don’t want that to change. Next, I want to look at the team’s goals. I don’t want to go to a team where I’d get 35 minutes but lose all the time — that’s not fun. I want to find the right balance: enough playing time and a team that’s playing for something, maybe even a title.”

Last summer, Yabusele wrapped up an Olympic run as a silver medalist, who was gearing up for another season with Real Madrid. He popped up on multiple NBA teams’ radars, and the Sixers ended up convincing him to come to Philadelphia for a year on a veteran’s minimum deal.

Yabusele took the gamble. He returned to the NBA years after the Boston Celtics cut ties with him following a two-year run. Expectations were low for Yabusele on the outside. Behind the scenes, the Sixers hoped he could be an everyday contributor off the bench for a title-hopeful squad.

As we know now, the Sixers were far from contenders in 2024-2025. Stacking multiple stars was a plan that fell flat as the team battled setbacks consistently throughout the year. However, the Sixers’ front office made the right call on Yabusele. He turned out to be an extremely valuable signing. Now, the price goes up.

“Money matters too, of course,” Yabusele added. “I’m a father, and I’ve taken risks throughout my career. Now I want stability and financial security. We’ll try to find the right solution.”

The Sixers would like to keep Yabusele around, which would give the veteran forward an opportunity to resume his role as a key player off the bench, but money is tight in Philadelphia. Three players are on max deals. A few guys are set to pick up their player options, while the Sixers have to do what they can to retain a young Quentin Grimes, who put up All-Star numbers for a stretch.

Yabusele isn’t as good as gone, but he’s certainly a flight risk. The good news is that the highest bidder isn’t guaranteed to win him over, and neither is a mediocre team that’s offering a full-time starting role. Soon, we’ll see where the silver medalist ends up.

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