Celtics, Knicks, Nuggets Among Teams Registering Interest In Yabusele
The Celtics, Knicks, Nuggets and others have called the Sixers to express interest in trading for forward Guerschon Yabusele, HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto writes.
As we relayed earlier this week, the Sixers reportedly “love” the French forward, but his impending unrestricted free agent status gives the team plenty to think about at this deadline.
Yabusele is averaging 10.4 points and 5.5 rebounds per game so far this season while shooting 50.2% from the field and 39.3% from three. He’s been a crucial part of a Sixers team that has been ravaged by injuries. Yabusele entered Thursday with 22 starts under his belt.
After Yabusele’s $2.09MM salary expires this offseason, he’ll have no shortage of suitors in free agency. The Sixers only hold his Non-Bird rights, so they’re limited in what they can offer him unless they use their mid-level exception — they’ll likely only have the taxpayer form of the MLE.
As Scotto writes, given that the Sixers are 19-27 and currently on the outside looking in for the play-in tournament (though they’re tied with the Bulls), contending teams are calling about Philadelphia’s veterans. Not only would Yabusele bolster any playoff rotation, but his team-friendly contract this year could offer savings for contenders looking to cut costs.
Yabusele isn’t the only player generating interest on the trade market. As we wrote on Monday, Eric Gordon is also receiving interest. Scotto reports that rivals have checked in on Andre Drummond, Kelly Oubre and, notably, Caleb Martin as well. Martin signed a four-year, $35MM deal with Philadelphia this summer — if the Sixers decide to sell their veterans, he would be one of the more coveted players on the block.
Drummond has a player option worth $5MM next year while Oubre has one worth about $8.38MM.
Despite what sounds like healthy interest in players who would make sense to sell for a team interested in draft position, I’m somewhat skeptical the Sixers would proceed with a full-blown fire sale. For starters, as mentioned, Philadelphia is tied with the Bulls for 10th in the East. They’re also just four games out of the sixth seed, entering Thursday. While nothing has gone according to plan for Philadelphia this year, the team remains in position to claim a postseason appearance with better health luck moving forward. The Sixers are on a four-game winning streak, for what it’s worth.
The Sixers’ draft pick in this class is also protected, but only if it lands in the top six. While it’s not unheard of for teams with low odds to win big and move into the top four, the Sixers have likely already won too many games to truly bottom out and end up as one of the league’s worst six teams record-wise. And even if the Sixers did end up with one of the six worst records, there’s still a chance that pick falls out of their hands and into the Thunder’s if they’re leap-frogged by a team with lower odds on lottery night.
If the Sixers envision themselves as contenders next year, it would make sense to keep players like Martin, Oubre and Yabusele who can contribute to winning with a healthier roster.
Sixers Rumors: Yabusele, Gordon, Embiid, George, Edwards
The Sixers‘ minimum-salary investment in Guerschon Yabusele has paid off in a big way this season, with the big man playing a regular role in Philadelphia and submitting strong numbers, including 10.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game with a .394 3PT%. The 76ers “love” the Frenchman, Marc Stein writes at his Substack.
However, as Adam Aaronson and Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype outline for PhillyVoice.com, retaining Yabusele beyond this season might not be easy. The Sixers will only hold his Non-Bird rights, which will prevent them from offering more than 20% above his minimum salary unless use another cap exception. Philadelphia should have the taxpayer mid-level exception available, but even if that’s enough to re-sign Yabusele, it would mean not being able to use the MLE to bring in additional help.
With that in mind, the Sixers may to make a difficult decision on Yabusele at this year’s deadline, according to Stein, who reports that multiple playoff teams have submitted trade offers for the 29-year-old. Given that Philadelphia is just 17-27, is well above the tax line, and isn’t assured of hanging onto Yabusele beyond this season, entertaining those offers might be in the team’s best interest.
Veteran swingman Eric Gordon, who has made 49.2% of his three-point attempts in his last 14 outings since returning from oral surgery, has also generated trade interest, Stein writes, adding that the 76ers want to see how the next week-plus plays out before making any final decisions about their trade deadline plans.
Here’s more on the Sixers:
- Joel Embiid‘s swollen left knee has responded well to treatment and he was partial participant in practice on Monday, per Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports (Twitter links). However, the former MVP has been ruled out for Tuesday’s game vs. the Lakers as well as Wednesday’s vs. the Kings, according to the team.
- Paul George, who underwent an MRI on his injured finger on Sunday, didn’t practice on Monday and won’t play on Tuesday, Neubeck adds. The club is still reviewing the results of the forward’s MRI.
- John Hollinger of The Athletic takes stock of the Sixers’ current situation, explaining why tanking this season to try to protect their top-six protected 2025 first-rounder doesn’t make much sense, given how close they are to a play-in spot and the head-start that the NBA’s other tanking teams have gotten. Hollinger could see Philadelphia either buying or selling at the deadline, given the club’s tradable draft assets still on hand and its position relative to the tax line.
- Within the same story, Hollinger highlights Sixers two-way player Justin Edwards, writing that the rookie has shown he’s capable of being a solid NBA role player. “I feel like a broken record, but he just seems to always be in the right place on offense,” head coach Nick Nurse said of Edwards on Friday. “He’s got a few levels, he can go all the way to the rim, he’s got enough of a pull-up if there’s too much traffic there, and he’s got a decent sense (of when) to (kick) it out.”
Sixers Notes: Injuries, Nance, Athleticism, Arena
In addition to being without Joel Embiid, Kyle Lowry, and Andre Drummond, as we relayed earlier, the Sixers have also ruled out Paul George (right ankle soreness), Tyrese Maxey (left hand sprain), and Caleb Martin (right groin soreness) for Tuesday’s game vs. Oklahoma City, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter links).
On the plus side, Drummond and KJ Martin, who has been out since December 23 due to a left foot stress reaction, have resumed on-court work, Pompey notes (via Twitter). Drummond and Embiid are considered day-to-day, while KJ Martin’s return timeline is TBD.
In total, eight players are unavailable against the Thunder, so the Sixers will roll with a skeleton crew that includes a starting lineup of Reggie Jackson, Eric Gordon, Ricky Council, Kelly Oubre, and Guerschon Yabusele, tweets Pompey. It’s the first end of a back-to-back set for Philadelphia, so the team will hope to be a bit more whole on Wednesday vs. New York.
Here’s more on the 76ers:
- After waiving Pete Nance last Tuesday, the Sixers spent the week surveying the free agent market and considering other options for their open two-way slot, Pompey reports (Twitter link). However, given Embiid’s and Drummond’s injuries, the club ultimately decided that a big man was its biggest need, which is why Nance was re-signed to a new two-way deal earlier today.
- Within his takeaways from Sunday’s loss to Orlando, Pompey writes that the veteran Sixers couldn’t keep up with the more youthful Magic, suggesting that Philadelphia’s roster could benefit from an influx of athleticism.
- In an in-depth story for The Inquirer, Sean Collins Walsh and Alex Coffey take a closer look at how the Sixers and Comcast Spectacor reached an agreement to keep the team in South Philadelphia, including the role that NBA commissioner Adam Silver played in thawing out an icy relationship between the two sides.
Sixers Notes: McCain, Gordon, Embiid, George
Jared McCain‘s unexpected early-season emergence as a productive rotation player had been one of the only positive stories for the Sixers this fall, so his teammates are understandably disappointed that the rookie’s progress will be halted by a meniscus tear, which will sideline him indefinitely.
“You hate it for him,” Sixers forward Caleb Martin said, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. “He’s playing at such a high level, man. He’s such a great kid, and brings such good energy, and you know that does really hurt. Everybody feels for him and really, really hates that for him. It just (stinks).”
“I think it’s definitely going to be hard (to replace him),” big man Guerschon Yabusele added. “I think Jared is one of a kind, a kid with a lot of energy, no fear, being able to bring so many good things for us on offense. I think it’s going to be hard.”
The Sixers announced that McCain will require surgery, but it remains unclear what kind of procedure he’ll undergo. As Jeff Stotts of In Street Clothes tweets, the location of a meniscus tear determines whether the cartilage can be repaired or if it must be removed. The recovery timeline for a removal is often measured in weeks, whereas a full repair typically sidelines a player for multiple months.
Here’s more on the 76ers:
- Veteran shooting guard Eric Gordon, an offseason free agent addition, fell out of Philadelphia’s rotation after struggling early in the season, but played 26 minutes and made three 3-pointers on Monday in his first appearance since November 30. Head coach Nick Nurse suggested prior to Monday’s game that Gordon was “one of the candidates” to play more minutes as a result of McCain’s injury. “I think the first step is if somebody is out of the rotation, what are they doing to try to get themselves back in, right?” Nurse said, per Pompey. “Eric has come in here (on Saturday) and had a great workout. He’s trying to get himself back in there. He’s trying to stay ready and be ready to go.”
- Joel Embiid‘s sinus fracture is “not nearly as severe” as the two orbital bone fractures the star center previously sustained, Nurse said on Monday, according to Steve Reed of The Associated Press. While Nurse acknowledged Embiid’s “breathing isn’t going to be easy for a little bit” and the Sixers ruled him out for at least one week, it’s possible his absence won’t extend much beyond that. According to Stotts (Twitter link), Embiid’s first orbital fracture sidelined him for 22 days, while the second kept him out for eight days, though in each of those cases he returned in the postseason, which likely sped up his timeline.
- Paul George‘s performance in Monday’s win over Charlotte was very encouraging, according to Pompey, who says the star forward was moving as well as he has all season, having shed his bulky knee brace. George’s involvement in the offense – or lack thereof – has been a concern as of late, but his 33 points and 20 field goal attempts vs. the Hornets both represented season highs.
Sixers Not Considering Replacing Nick Nurse, Daryl Morey
Despite their NBA-worst 2-11 record, the Sixers haven’t had any internal discussions about the possibility of replacing head coach Nick Nurse or president of basketball operations Daryl Morey, multiple sources tell Sam Amick, David Aldridge, and Jared Weiss of The Athletic.
Nurse, who won a title with the Raptors in 2019, was hired by Philadelphia during the 2023 offseason to replace Doc Rivers. He led the team to a 47-35 regular season record last season, which was only good for a play-in spot. The 76ers ultimately secured the No. 7 seed and fell in the first round of the playoffs to the No. 2 Knicks.
The slow start this fall has dropped Nurse’s overall regular season record with the team to 49-46 (.516).
Morey was named the Sixers’ president of basketball operations in November 2020. The club has won at least 47 games in every season since then, but has never advanced beyond the second round of the postseason.
Morey essentially reset the roster this past offseason around Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, but injuries have limited the availability of Philadelphia’s stars – Embiid, Maxey, and Paul George – and the new-look supporting cast has struggled.
The expectation going forward, Amick, Aldridge, and Weiss say, is that everyone in the organization, including Nurse and Morey, will “take a look in the mirror and see what role they have in making the team better.”
The Athletic’s story also corroborates many of the details about Monday’s team meeting reported earlier today by Shams Charania of ESPN, including Maxey calling out Embiid for being consistently late to team activities.
Team and league sources tell The Athletic that Maxey stressed the need for Embiid to set a better example as the Sixers’ leader, given his importance to the program, essentially telling the former MVP, “Joel, you know I love you. But it starts with you, and your habits.” Embiid “mostly agreed” with Maxey’s message, per Amick, Aldridge, and Weiss.
While that discussion between Maxey and Embiid was an important aspect of the meeting, there was also a focus on holding the rest of the roster accountable, according to The Athletic’s trio. The contributions from rookie Jared McCain have been a pleasant surprise during the season’s first month, but many of the team’s other role players – including offseason veteran additions like Eric Gordon and Reggie Jackson – have been ineffective.
Sixers Notes: Gordon, Martin, Embiid, George, Nurse
Tyrese Maxey led the way in the Sixers‘ overtime win over Indiana on Sunday, with a game-high 45 points in his 48 minutes of action. But the team likely wouldn’t have gotten its first victory of the season if not for a pair of offseason additions, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, who highlights the contributions of Eric Gordon and Caleb Martin.
Gordon scored 15 points and was a plus-17 in 32 minutes off the bench, while Martin had a double-double (17 points, 12 rebounds) in 37 minutes.
Joel Embiid and Paul George will be back in the 76ers’ lineup at some point, but it won’t happen on Wednesday vs. Detroit. As Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports tweets, while the two stars participated in portions of practice on Tuesday, they’ve been ruled out for tomorrow’s game and will be reevaluated again later this week.
With or without those stars healthy, the club will need major contributions from its role players, Pompey writes. Sunday’s win showed what that could look like, and Gordon is confident that Philadelphia’s supporting cast will only improve as the season progresses.
“We are going to continue to get better,” Gordon said. “This is the worst, you know? You can never panic in this league. There’s too many games, an 82-game season. It’s too early. And we’re going to continue to get better and better. We’ve got guys with great attitudes who are wanting to win.”
Here’s more on the Sixers:
- No team brought back fewer players from last season’s roster (seven) than the 76ers. That – along with Embiid’s and George’s absences – has created an early-season challenge for head coach Nick Nurse, who is still getting accustomed to his new-look squad and determining the strengths and weaknesses of certain lineups, writes Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer. “I’ve got to learn what’s going on with this team,” Nurse said during Sunday’s post-game media session. “… I’m trying to learn what looks good, and what doesn’t.”
- Embiid hasn’t suited up for a game yet this fall, but he’s already been hit with his first technical foul of the season. According to Tim Bontemps of ESPN (Twitter link), the league announced on Monday that Embiid was assessed a technical for waving a towel on the bench while Andrew Nembhard was shooting free throws on Sunday.
- Patrick McCaw, Marcus Bagley, and Isaiah Mobley are among the notable names on the training camp roster announced on Monday (via Twitter) by the Delaware Blue Coats, Philadelphia’s G League affiliate. McCaw won three NBA championships with Golden State and Toronto during the first three years of his playing career, while Bagley and Mobley are the brothers of established NBA players (Marvin Bagley III and Evan Mobley).
Sixers Sign Eric Gordon To Minimum-Salary Deal
JULY 10: Gordon’s minimum-salary contract with the Sixers is now official, the team confirmed in a press release.
“Eric is a proven shot-maker whose ability to create space and punish defenses that overextend will help solidify an already dynamic offense,” team president of basketball operations Daryl Morey said in a statement. “He plays bigger as the moments get bigger which will be key for our playoff run. I’ve known Eric for many years – he is devoted to his craft and continuously works on his game, allowing him to have such a long and successful career. We are lucky to have him in Philly.”
Gordon’s new contract will actually be for two years, with a second-year player option, Hoops Rumors has learned.
JUNE 30: Free agent guard Eric Gordon has agreed to sign with the Sixers, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports reports (via Twitter) that it’ll be a minimum-salary contract, while Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link) says it’ll be for one year.
Gordon inked a two-year minimum-salary deal with the Suns last season and averaged 11.0 points, 2.0 assists, and 1.8 rebounds in 27.8 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .443/.378/.797.
Because his deal included a second-year player option, he was able to opt out and return to the free agent market this summer in search of a new opportunity.
By signing in Philadelphia, Gordon will reunite with Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey, who oversaw the Rockets’ front office during most of the veteran guard’s tenure with the franchise from 2016-23.
Since Gordon is receiving the veteran’s minimum, the 76ers will be able to wait until after they’ve used up all their cap room to officially sign him and won’t need to dedicate a chunk of that space to the 35-year-old.
Atlantic Notes: Brissett, Springer, Walsh, Gordon, Knicks Rotation
The Celtics have one remaining roster spot after agreeing to re-sign Luke Kornet and Xavier Tillman. The team has interest in bringing back wing Oshae Brissett, who declined his $2.5MM player option. However, Brissett is still seeking out another team that can offer more playing time, Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe reports.
The Celtics still have the option to bring back Brissett on a veteran’s minimum deal or with Non-Bird rights.
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- In the same story, Himmelsbach reports that Jaden Springer and Jordan Walsh are expected to be on the Celtics’ Summer League roster. Current two-way player Drew Peterson, former two-way player JD Davison, draft picks Baylor Scheierman and Anton Watson, and possibly Neemias Queta could also participate.
- Eric Gordon is playing for the Bahamas in the Olympic qualifying tournament in Spain. Gordon said his decision to sign with the Sixers on a minimum-salary deal was based partly on their chances of winning a title, Ben Istvan of the Philadelphia Inquirer relays. “Sixers fans should be happy,” the veteran guard said. “We’re going to be a team to be reckoned with, and we look forward to trying to win a championship next year.”
- In a subscriber-only story, the New York Post’s Stefan Bondy takes a look at how the Knicks’ rotation might shake out with the addition of Mikal Bridges.
Suns’ Eric Gordon To Opt For Free Agency
Suns veteran wing Eric Gordon will turn down his $3.36MM player option for the 2024/25 season and become an unrestricted free agent, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
While a recent report from The Athletic had indicated that Gordon was “50-50” on his player option decision, plugged-in local reporter John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 subsequently stated that he didn’t expect the 35-year-old to be back in Phoenix next season. According to Charania, multiple contenders are expected to pursue Gordon.
Gordon is no longer the 20+ PPG scorer that he was earlier in his career, but the 16-year veteran has remained a reliable rotation piece for contending teams in recent years. After accepting a minimum-salary contract to join the Suns last summer, he averaged 11.0 points, 2.0 assists, and 1.8 rebounds in 27.8 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .443/.378/.797.
During his foray into free agency in 2023, Gordon prioritized the ability to play a significant role for a contending team over seeking out the most lucrative offer, since he almost certainly could’ve earned more than the veteran’s minimum from another club. We’ll see if his priorities remain the same this summer.
Gordon is one of four Suns who had a player option decision to make by June 29 and will join Drew Eubanks among those who are opting out. Josh Okogie‘s and Damion Lee‘s decisions have yet to be reported.
Pacific Notes: Lakers, Kings, Siakam, Gordon, Suns
While there was skepticism both inside and outside the Lakers‘ organization about how genuine the team’s pursuit of Dan Hurley earlier this month was, team owner Jeanie Buss was “highly motivated” to land the UConn head coach and was “genuinely disappointed” when it didn’t work out, sources tell Shams Charania, Sam Amick, and Jovan Buha of The Athletic.
After missing out on Hurley, the Lakers circled back to J.J. Redick, reaching a four-year deal on Thursday with the analyst and podcaster that will make him the club’s new head coach. According to The Athletic’s reporting, Redick had a phone call with Anthony Davis on Monday, which was viewed as an important step in the process, since the Lakers “prioritized Davis’ voice” throughout their coaching search. Davis and other key players were supportive of Redick’s hiring, sources tell The Athletic — while LeBron James isn’t specifically named, it’s safe to assume he approves of the choice to bring aboard his podcasting partner.
As has been previously reported, Scott Brooks, Rajon Rondo, Sam Cassell, and Jared Dudley are a few of the candidates on the Lakers’ wish list for spots on Redick’s new staff, per Charania, Amick, and Buha. However, league sources tell Marc Stein (Twitter link) that the Mavericks will make a strong effort to retain Dudley, who has been an important part of Jason Kidd‘s staff in Dallas.
Here’s more from around the Pacific:
- A roundtable of ESPN writers discussed the Lakers‘ decision to hire Redick, sharing their thoughts on their former colleague getting his first NBA coaching job. All five panelists believe Redick will be the first Lakers head coach since Phil Jackson to remain in the position for more than three years.
- The Kings pursued Pascal Siakam before he was sent to the Pacers, but ended those efforts after the forward reportedly conveyed that he likely wouldn’t sign with the team long-term. Appearing on The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross (YouTube link), Sam Amick of The Athletic explained why Siakam wasn’t enthusiastic about going to Sacramento. “There was an inference from his camp that over the years there were, behind the scenes, somewhat disparaging remarks made that came from the Kings about his game,” Amick said. “The way it was framed to me was that – in an attempt to drive down what it would to get him – some gossipy-type feedback on his game had gotten back to him. … That is the way it was put to me from his side.”
- Responding to a report stating that Eric Gordon is “50-50” on exercising his player option with the Suns, plugged-in local reporter John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link) says he doesn’t expect the veteran wing to be back in Phoenix next season.
- Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports takes a look at five guards who might make sense as Suns targets in next week’s draft, with Marquette’s Tyler Kolek topping his list. Kolek reportedly visited Phoenix this week for a workout.