Every summer there is always one or more players in Europe who, thanks to FIBA tournaments, attract the attention of various NBA teams. Thanks to the fact that the 2024 Paris Olympic Games have been held in the middle of the summer period, this has made some franchises look to the Old Continent in search of market opportunities. One of them could be Guerschon Yabusele which, as they anticipated Shams Charania y Adrian Wojnarowskiwill leave Real Madrid to sign for the Philadelphia 76ers.
Yabusele is under contract with the Whites until the end of the 2024-25 season, which will mean that he will have to pay the termination clause to become a free agent and, only then, sign with the Sixers.
According to information from ESPN and The Athletic, Yabusele’s release clause amounts to 2.5 million euros and his new salary with Philadelphia is estimated to be slightly lower, at $2.1 million.
Next, Giants of Basketball explains all the keys to Guerschon Yabusele’s possible arrival in the NBA and everything that it entails.
A chance to return to the NBA
Guerschon Yabusele already had a first experience in the NBA. It happened in the Boston Celticsa franchise that selected him with the 16th pick in the 2016 Draft. The Frenchman was a regular player in the green team’s rotation in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons, although he was unable to fully establish himself in the American league due to his inefficiency in outside shooting and defensive fit.
However, players are evolving and the flow of the market between the two continents is more constant than ever. In light of the last two seasons at Real Madrid, being key in the various successes of the white club, especially with the French national team, has aroused the interest of the NBA.
Yabusele is now a different player. Without going any further, he has averaged a 48% and 39% in triples in Euroleague and Liga Endesa in this last season, to which is added a more than interesting development in defense, both individually and collectively. His profile as an open four with skill in defense has caught the attention of the Sixers, who will look for him as a substitute on the bench for a rotation with high expectations.
The convergence of interests in this type of context is vital. Yabusele was interested in returning to the NBA after what happened at these Olympic Games and the 76ers needed to reinforce the four position after the departure of Harris and Batum. With the experience acquired at Real Madrid, Yabusele can take advantage of his opportunity to play the role of mere outside enforcer, either as a starter or as a substitute in case Kelly Oubre is the sixth man.
The economic issue and the pension
Every player has to think about the present, but also about the future. And the NBA offers guarantees for those who have already finished their careers that are unimaginable in other parts of the world. One of them is the veteran’s pensionThe league stipulates that a minimum of three seasons must be completed in order to receive this payment, starting at age 45 and no later than age 62. The amounts of this pension fluctuate depending on the number of seasons of service that are counted.
The key in Yabusele’s case is that he has two full seasons in the NBA, so that by presumably signing a guaranteed contract, the moment he plays a game this season it will count as a full season of service. This money does not represent an enormous amount, but rather a contribution of between $500 to $800 per month for players who have only been in the American league for a few years.
However, from Yabusele’s perspective, it is a common occurrence among players with experience in both the NBA and Europe. In recent years, we have seen the case of Tyler Dorsey who left Greece to sign with the Mavericks with the goal of having three full seasons. What makes the difference is that, in the example of Dorsey, he did it with a contract two-way, That is, in the hope of convincing Dallas to guarantee his salary, which did not happen. This practice is common among American players and not so much among Europeans, so with Yabusele it is another reason but not the main one.
Guerschon Yabusele’s contract with Real Madrid has been terminated
The NBA collective bargaining agreement states that the maximum a franchise can pay to help terminate a player’s contract with his club outside of the competition is $825,000. That doesn’t mean that the team pays that amount in all cases, but it is usually the norm.
That is why, in the case of Guerschon Yabusele, the part that would have to come out of his pocket would be around 1.67 million euros. In this type of situation, the amount is not paid in one go, but rather the payments are spread out over the future to make it easier for all parties.
Guerschon Yabusele’s contract with the Philadelphia 76ers
Guerschon Yabusele will sign a minimum contract with the Philadelphia 76ers and the agreement will most likely be for a single season.
The Frenchman’s salary for this season will be $2.1 million, but if he renews, that second season will rise to $2.4 million with the option to renew in the future with the 76ers or the franchise that has his contract.
Yabusele is betting on taking advantage of the window of opportunity that the Olympic Games have given him to try to grab onto an NBA for which, now, he is better prepared than in 2017.
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