Report: Guerschon Yabusele Not Expected To Return To NBA In 2024-25

According to John Hollinger of The Athletic, Guerschon Yabusele is not expected to return to the NBA in 2024-25. 

Yabusele has a $2.5 million buyout to leave Madrid this summer, which an NBA team would be on the hook for.

“However, he’s a free agent in the 2025 offseason. Yabusele’s shooting has improved markedly and he’s slimmed down a bit since Boston, both of which make him a more attractive proposition as a stretch four than he was as a Celtic,” Hollinger wrote. “His defensive awareness was never a strength, but he’s fairly switchable along the perimeter if he’s in shape. Offensively, he’s hit 44.5 percent, 36.1 percent and 40.2 percent from 3 the last three seasons while playing at the highest levels of European basketball and obviously can hammer a mismatch on the block against switches.”

Yabusele played 74 games for the Boston Celtics from 2017-18 to 2018-19. The 28-year-old wants to play in the NBA again, but he may wait until 2025-26. 

“But if Yabusele makes the move, don’t expect it to be this year,” Hollinger wrote. “A league source confirmed a recent report from NBA reporter Marc Stein that Yabusele has a $2.5 million buyout to leave Madrid this summer, which an NBA team would be on the hook for (and would count against the cap above the $750,000 international buyout maximum) in addition to whatever salary he agreed to.”

Yabusele has career NBA averages of 2.3 points, 1.4 rebounds, 0.4 assists, 0.2 steals and 0.2 blocks. He was a star for France in the Olympics.

France won the Silver Medal after losing to Team USA in the Gold Medal game. 

“Oh, he’s an NBA player,” an overseas scout told Hollinger. 

Yabusele has been linked to the Cleveland Cavaliers. New Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson was an assistant coach for Team France. 

The Cavaliers haven’t made any moves in free agency or trades this offseason. The only new player on the roster is rookie Jaylon Tyson, the 20th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.