In the 2024 Olympic men’s basketball event there players like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Nikola Jokic, and Victor Wembanyama were featured. But at the same time, it gave the opportunity to new not very famous players to demonstrate their skills. Out of all the young players, French forward Guerschon Yabusele raked impressive numbers of 14 points and even pulled off a three-point-attacker on James. Guerschon Yabusele, who was selected by the Boston Celtics with the 16th pick in the 2016 NBA Draft got a rare chance to play in the NBA in 2019 but is now itching to go again.
Yabusele’s Contractual Hurdles
Yabusele said on Sunday night through his Twitter account @e_args: “Been waiting for a 2nd chance. .. I’m ready”. But this will be a contractual issue because Yabusele is under Real Madrid contract for one more season. He also has a buyout clause but one that requires money, to be precise, $2.5 million. Marc Stein indicated that before July 15 the buyout would have been one million dollars, but Real Madrid pegged him for an Olympic surge. In the NBA teams can contribute up to a certain amount for an international buyout, which this season is at $850,000 bringing $1.65 million to cover.
Financial Implications for Yabusele
As was mentioned earlier, for the vast majority of NBA players, a $1.65 million buyout is negligible. Still, given that Guerschon Yabusele has never played for the NBA for even a complete season, this amount is significant. However, even with a guaranteed minimum, NBA contract, his figures would amount to less than 2.5 million U.S. dollars based on the NBA minimum annual salary to the Career Bonuses years of service. He has agreed to jeopardize his Real Madrid contract and the buyout payment without having a sure place in the NBA, which is quite risky.
Yabusele’s strength and resource analysis
Meanwhile, October’s rewards promise to be all the more substantial because of the risks involved. The NBA players are however paid far much better than their counterparts from other parts of the world. Yabusele’s confirmation of his ability to fit into an NBA team can go a long way in the long-term earnings of the player.
The Olympics highlighted his strengths as a big, physical forward capable of scoring inside and displaying defensive versatility. Although not a high-volume 3-point shooter in Europe, Yabusele has shot 40.7% from deep in his international career.
NBA Teams’ Interest and Yabusele’s Future
Every NBA team can benefit from another forward, especially one willing to come cheap. Guerschon Yabusele’s desire to return to the NBA makes him a viable option for teams needing depth on the wing. While no interest has been reported yet, with training camps over a month away, there is ample time for teams to consider Yabusele as an option. His Olympic performance demonstrated his potential, making him worth a look for NBA teams.
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