Knicks Advised to Flip Guerschon Yabusele for Appealing Contributor

The New York Knicks most recent loss, a convincing 126-113 defeat at the hands of the Golden State Warriors, wasn't just their seventh loss in nine games and an affront to respectable team defense.

It also featured as yet another admission by the Knicks that the Guerschon Yabusele signing has been a failure. Every fan who hoped that the stretch big, directly coming off of a revival in a one-and-done stint with the Philadelphia 76ers, could slide into their rotation with relative ease, but he just doesn't fit. The shot hasn't been consistent enough to work in a bench role and the defense has been untenable, resulting in his minutes slippage hitting a new low in the Warriors loss.

He had a chance at making an impact, appearing as one of the first Knicks off of the bench after previously profiling as an end-of-bench option in other outings. But after four minutes, a span in which he shot 0-2 from the field and recorded a -9 in the box score, he was yanked and never re-inserted.

New York Knicks Forward Guerschon Yabusele — Jan 7, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks forward Guerschon Yabusele (28) warms up before the game against the LA Clippers at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The odds that he'll be the first Knick to get moved ahead of the trade deadline has never seemed likelier, as he's been all-but-banished from Head Coach Mike Brown's rotation in failing to reach double-digit minutes four times over his last seven appearances. For how little he's lived up to expectations on a squad with championship expectations, he's been a consistent listing among the biggest favorites to find new homes midway through the 2025-26 regular season.

"The Knicks are pressed up against the second apron," CBS Sports' Sam Quinn wrote. "Their big contracts are all attached to important players. Yabusele hasn't lived up to the team's expectations since the front office signed him with the taxpayer mid-level exception last offseason. At $5.5 million, he's by far the biggest expendable salary on the team."

Leveraging the Contract Figure

Even though Yabusele's floundering hasn't exactly been a secret to the rest of the league, he may still net an intriguing player in a trade.

Quinn may be overly-optimistic on how easy of a time the Knicks would have in shipping Yabusele away, with other experts thinking that New York may have to attach a draft pick to spruce up the undesirable contract, but the writer has his eyes on another player who's likely to see the door in the coming weeks.

"They've also been linked to a number of guards. [Keon] Ellis would make sense, given his cheap salary and on-ball defense," he guessed. "If the Knicks make a meaningful move, it's a safe bet that Yabusele is involved."

Sacramento Kings Guard Keon Ellis — Jan 1, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Keon Ellis (23) reacts after making a three-point basket against the Boston Celtics during the second quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images | Dennis Lee-Imagn Images

Ellis, a positive defender with a productive 3-ball, has been treated like an appendage by the Sacramento Kings over his last two seasons with the franchise, largely locked into a deep reserve spot despite providing real results on both ends of the floor. After only inking him to little deals over extended seasons, he's set to enter unrestricted free agency this summer.

Amidst the Kings' strange refusal to give him a tangible role or pay him like someone worthwhile, he remains atop the better trade pieces around the league. New York would be well-off examining whether Yabusele, on a tradable contract himself, can pique Sacramento's interest. In a perfect world, they secure one more deck hand to right the ship and help consolidate a playoff contender, a role that Ellis has a real chance to fill should he escape the Kings.

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