The Olympic basketball wasn’t only about Team USA. The world also witnessed some of the promising talents on the hardwood. One of them was Guerschon Yabusele, the French power forward. For the fans who don’t recognize, Yabusele was the one who committed the unforgivable sin. The 6 ‘7 strong built French man posterized LeBron James when he attempted to draw a foul in the gold medal. Even though Les Bleus lost the game, Yabusele stood out with his 20 points and two steals, ultimately opening the door for his NBA second chance.

It wasn’t just a one-game wonder. The 28-year-old was impressive throughout the tournament, averaging 14 points. Moreover, Yabusele requested a second chance in the NBA after the Finals via his X handle. The big man wrote, “Been waiting for a 2nd chance.. I’m ready,” along with a bear emoji. If you’re still wondering about the second chance, he has played in the NBA for the Boston Celtics.

After a short stint in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), Guerschon Yabusele declared for the 2016 NBA Draft. The Celts selected him with the #16 and entered the league with heightened expectations. However, things didn’t go well, as he ended his NBA stint after two seasons with an underwhelming average of 2.3 ppg. But, Yabusele found a place in Celts’ fans’ hearts as they lovingly called him ‘The Dancing Bear’. Hence, the bear emoji.

Following the Celtics’ disappointment, he moved to the Chinese league and French until he settled down with Real Madrid Baloncesto. Now that he has eclipsed into an offensive star, Yasubsele is seeking an NBA return. And, the Celts fans, who will witness their team defending the title in the upcoming season, expect the franchise to rope in the star.

However, NBA inside Keith Smith broke the fans’ hearts with his latest take. In the latest episode of NBA Front Office, Smith said, “The French NBA players were like, ‘League him! League him!’ We had then a bunch of other guys that are American-born players kind of chiming in, saying, ‘Yeah, let’s get him another shot.’ So we’ll see. For any Celtics fans wondering, it’s not going to be them. They can only offer him a minimum. I don’t think that’s going to be enough and I don’t think he’s gonna do that.”

Why can’t the Boston Celtics trade Guerschon Yabusele?

Firstly, Guerschon Yabusele is already under a contract with the Real Madrid team. In case an NBA franchise wants to trade him, they will have to buy out the contract for $2.5 million. Even though it’s a doable figure for an NBA team, the Celtics currently can’t afford to make this trade. It’s because of the major off-season move. Following Jaylen Brown‘s supermax contract in the 2023 off-season, the team signed yet another supermax contract for Jayson Tatum this off-season worth $315 million.

These extensions have ultimately pushed the Celts’ payroll to an estimated figure of $208,592,598, which is well above the tax apron. However, it’s worth the money since the duo has already brought home the much-awaited championship. At the same time, the team further can’t build on their slab for Guerschon Yabusele.

While the Celtics are completely out of the picture to trade the star in, the Philadelphia 76ers have come into the trade scenario. Fans and experts have pitched their opinions on fitting the French man into the Philly side. The team has already stacked the frontcourt with Paul George this off-season. The team is looking for a replacement in the power forward position after the exit of Tobias Harris. So the door is still open for the Philly side to make another impressive trade in the off-season.

What are other teams that can pursue Guerschon Yabusele?

San Antonio Spurs

After the entry of Victor Wembanyama, the San Antonio Spurs have come alive again after the Tim Duncan era. In his rookie season, the rising superstar was impressive, but he lacked support from his teammates. The team finished the season as the 14th seed in the West. However, in the upcoming season, the team has raised its stake after roping in the veteran point guard, Chris Paul. Along with CP3, if Gregg Popovich convinces the front office to trade in Wemby’s national teammate, the Spurs will have a real chance at the championship.

Golden State Warriors

This is a story of a fallen kingdom. The franchise faced one of the most unexpected turn of events. They lost their most loyal shooter in the off-season, Klay Thompson. At the same time, the team has had a tough time in the off-season, trying to get a power forward. After a numerous attempt to get Lauri Markkanen, they have finally given up. If Mike Dunleavy Jr. cracks the code to get in Guerschon Yabusele, then the Warriors will be back on track for the championship once again.

Which other teams can rope in Guerschon Yabusele? Let us know in the comments.

Before leaving, do watch the Dual Threat Show hosted by BG12 where Bulldogs’ Asia Avinger details her experience with Kobe Bryant, her WNBA ROTY picks, and more in the video below.