NBA Trade Rumors Reveal Chances of 76ers Moving On from Veteran Player

Would the 76ers listen to offers for Guerschon Yabusele?

Nov 27, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Guerschon Yabusele (28) reacts to a Houston Rockets turnover during the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Low-cost veterans on a one-year deal could be of interest to buyers on the NBA trade market. Philadelphia 76ers veteran Guerschon Yabusele is a name that’s been popping up on many team fanbase’s wishlists as he exceeds expectations in his first year back since playing outside of the NBA.

For teams that are actually interested, it seems they would need better luck to try and get him as a recent report suggests that Yabusele’s services are not for sale—even while the Sixers are struggling to look like a championship contender early on.

NBA Insider Marc Stein noted that one source “stressed that the Sixers are thrilled with the production” they have received from Yabusele so far. While the state of the Sixers’ mindset could change from early December to February, “all current signs point to a resounding no,” Stein said regarding a possible Yabusele deal.

Dec 4, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Guerschon Yabusele (28) plays against the Orlando Magic during the fourth quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Why Hold?

For the moment, the Sixers seem to be trending in the right direction. With a win over the Chicago Bulls on Sunday, the Sixers improved to 7-15 on the year, going from 14th to 12th in the Eastern Conference. They are 1.5 games back from a Play-In spot and 4.5 games back from the sixth seed, which is currently owned by the Milwaukee Bucks.

Yabusele is probably playing a bigger role than the Sixers envisioned from the jump, but he’s thriving through it all. In 22 games, Yabusele is averaging nearly 10 points on 49 percent shooting from the field and 40 percent shooting from three.

It’s worth seeing if Yabusele can continue being productive when he’s sharing the floor with the All-Stars Joel Embiid and Paul George, who have been in and out of the lineup due to injuries.

The Sixers entered the 2024-2025 NBA season with plans to compete for a title. So far, they’ve struggled to live up to those expectations, but the plan hasn’t changed. Yabusele was brought to Philly for a reason, and that reason wasn’t to flip him at the deadline.