Guerschon Yabusele doesn’t understand why his weight has become an issue with some Knicks fans, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Yabusele, who signed with New York in free agency over the summer, said he hasn’t put on any pounds since he played for Philadelphia last season.
“About this, because I heard it, and I could if I wanted to talk about it, but I just decided not to,” he said. “People say whatever they want to say. If you guys check with my weight from last year, it’s the same. So last year it wasn’t a problem, why is it a problem this year? And I’m actually less than last year.”
The Knicks list Yabusele at 283 pounds, which makes him among the league’s heaviest players. Bondy notes that some websites had him at 265 pounds last season, which appears to be a mistake because was at 279 pounds in the Sixers’ media guide.
The focus on Yabusele’s weight is likely a result of his decreased production this season. He’s averaging 2.7 points and 2.2 rebounds in 15 games while playing just 10.5 minutes per night. His .349/.276/.500 shooting numbers are also disappointing for a player who was much more productive in his return to the NBA last season.
“I’m not focusing on none of that. I’m just doing my thing,” Yabusele said of the weight complaints. “I feel good and in great shape. So it is what it is.”
There’s more on the Knicks:
- Landry Shamet will miss at least four weeks with a right shoulder sprain, but Ian Begley of SNY.tv doesn’t believe he’s in any danger of being waived despite his non-guaranteed contract (Twitter link). Begley points out that teams are obligated to cover the salaries of injured players throughout their recovery process, so there wouldn’t be any financial benefits for the Knicks to part with Shamet. Coach Mike Brown voiced his support for keeping him on the roster, per Steve Popper of Newsday (Twitter link). “That’s something that (team president Leon Rose) and his group will discuss,” Brown told reporters. “But Landry is a really big part of what we’re doing and I’ll give up my salary for him.”
- Josh Hart credits Knicks shooting coach Peter Patton for helping him improve his jumper while wearing a splint on his right ring finger, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic states in a mailbag column. Hart revealed that he and Patton “made small tweaks here and there, but we’re just smoothing everything out.”
- In the same piece, Edwards acknowledges that depth at center and power forward is an issue for the Knicks, but he believes finding a reliable backup point guard should be a greater priority in trade talks. Edwards speculates that Yabusele, Miles McBride and some of the team’s younger players are most likely to be moved in any deal.
Offer Hart, McBride, Dadiet, Diawara, Yabusele, James Nnaji and Rakas draft rights plus picks to Minnesota for Randle, Ingles and Bones Hyland
Not cap legal. The Knicks would be adding salary which they can’t do, and also would have two roster spots to fill. It would have to be centered on Hart and Robinson and I don’t see MIN wanting Mitch.
Trading McBride would be a huge mistake
Miles leveled up his second year in college putting up 16 pts and 5 ast running point. He was drafted as a PG with excellent 2way potential. His defense is what got him mins with Thibs. Then his shooting got him mins with Jalen. Seems to me this coach (Brown) doesn’t know who McBride is. He is your backup PG. Try helping him be that. I’m tired of hearing Knicks should be looking for PG help ….. try reading his scouting report before the draft ….
Yabusele is the biggest disappointment so far this year. And dude …. you shouldn’t be over 265 lbs. Yes your weight is a concern. And it will get you run out of town. Should have kept Precious.
Doesn’t look good for Landry. Not expecting him back this year. Too early to think about trades. I want to see our bench guys wake up and take advantage. NYK
link to nbadraftroom.com
Gotta hand it to you, after several years of substandard on-ball play, Deuce looks more like a PG this season. Bridges has had the ball more and done good things with it. Clarkson is passing more than his reputation suggests. Kolek is improving. And Hart has always been one of our best facilitators.
We are set at the 1. Priority should be adding a 5 behind Mitch. Sorry Al, KAT is still a 4.
Look at the best 4s in the game today. Just by the new so called positionless basketball. He doesn’t fit what you need from a 4. Towns isn’t a good Center as a defender. He is worse as a 4 at defending.
I never believed Duncan was a 4. He was a 5 that could play with another 5 that could play with another 5. Robinson and Duncan were high IQ centers. They could play with each other. When Robinson retired all Duncan played was the 5. Nobody remembers that.
Town’s isn’t a 5. Mitch avgs 16 mins a game. Thats a backup center. Today’s game is the worst time to play them together. And to use Towns as a 5. He was the center all last year. The starting all star center. So now after 15 gms and Mitch. Playing 16 mins. He’s a PF …. please. His strength is as a 5 that can step out. You don’t take away his superpower by moving him to the 4.
Hukporti is more than capable of playing backup C. Brown hasn’t learned that yet. Brown still hasn’t learned the value of Hart yet imo. The way you help Towns. Is by adding a real 4 to watch his back. As a 5 Towns is one of best rebounders in the game. Not as a 4. You add an Isaac or Wolf or Looney. I would trade Mitch for Looney and Bey today lol ……
Imo Mitch is our ace in the hole as a trade chip. It’s coming this year.
🤣🤣 come on Al deuce isn’t a PG, especially vs playoff caliber defense no way can he handle that
NBA weight reporting is an issue. There are multiple sources w/ updated weights (Training Camp rosters, Media guides, etc) yet the NBA keeps copy/pasting their drafted weight for official sources.
Mitchell Robinson is still listed at the 240 he was at as a springy 20-year old. Dude is 27 now and added 8 years of muscle.
Why update Heights for Vegas purposes, but not Weights? Height barely matters anymore with the vast majority of the league ranging from 6’4″ to 6’9″.
Yeah but if you watch Yabusele he looks bigger than in Philly.considering he had a good Euro tournament. You would think being in shape wouldn’t be an issue. Knicks need him now.
If you look up comments about him from last season, many of us were saying that Yabu would have a hard time repeating the impact he had last season. Many Philly fans didn’t want to re-sign him and we’re saying “let somebody else overpay him”. And they were right.
But at $5m it’s not the most costly mistake in the world.
It is when you are at the cap. It seems Brown doesn’t trust him. I keep waiting for him to do something. And even now with guys down. He is not getting mins. Not looking good.
Don’t understand the Knicks trade talk of they need a back up point guard and big man.
You’ve got what Shamet McBride Clarkson and Kolek. All capable point guards that are playing SG and SF occasionally….
As for a big man there’s the obvious one Mitchell Robinson, you also added Yabu as a 4/5 he’s just been really out of form so far. Then theres Hukpoti and Jamieson.
Mostly media noise lol. This comes with the territory. Media always trying to create friction to milk. It’s why I liked Thibs. He never let them get away with fake news. Brown better have thick skin.
If they can find a way to pry Jackson Jr away from Memphis without destroying the roster, I would try it. He looks like a classic change of scenery candidate.
Sure, blame losing because of a $5.5M free agent signing on a team #2 in payroll. Real facts: Knicks have been a hot mess for decades, now they’re stuck with mediocre players and their contracts.
Who is “blaming losing” on Yabu? No one said anything like that.
Knicks are favored to win the East this year. Only Cavs were ahead of them. Catch up lol upgrade your knowledge channel. If you want to be taken seriously.
The weight is an issue ONLY because Yabu hasn’t played well, or even in the manner expected. At least the manner I expected. He doesn’t play as a big, particularly on the defensive end. The 4/5 distinction is irrelevant with him since he doesn’t play as either. Brunson spends more time guarding the paint than he does. Maybe people would care less about his 283 pounds if it wasn’t continually and unsuccessfully chasing guys around on the perimeter.
FWIW, the cost of signing Yabu isn’t the 5 mm salary. It’s the hard cap signing him put in effect. It has us playing 2 veterans short, in effect (the empty 15th spot and Diawara on a regular vs 2 way spot). With Shamet (#13) unable to play, it now matters more, and will matter exponentially more if there’s another injury.
The way he played in Euros. The signing was looking good. Now it’s starting to fall apart lol. I hope he wakes up. Cause Knicks fans are not patient …