French Olympic Star Faces Financial Dilemma Over Sixers Move

Guerschon Yabusele could potentially see less than one-fourth of his upcoming $2.1 million salary with the Sixers. This is because the French Olympic standout still has one year remaining on his contract with Real Madrid. The buyout of Yabusele’s contract with the Spanish club is set at $2.5 million.

Despite the seemingly minuscule figure compared to how much NBA teams spend on operating their franchises, league rules on international buyouts allow the Sixers to contribute only a maximum of $850,000 toward the amount. While the team could theoretically cover the remaining balance, it would have to come out of cap space or exception money—resources that the Sixers currently lack.

This leaves a $1.65 million deficit for the buyout, which Yabusele and Real Madrid would need to negotiate. If Yabusele pays the remaining amount of the buyout out of his own pocket, he will have less than $500,000 left to play one season in the NBA. Agent fees, taxes, and other business expenses will further reduce this amount.

Guerschon Yabusele’s Prior NBA Stint

The six-foot-eight forward’s upcoming stint with the Sixers will mark his return to the NBA after previously playing for the Boston Celtics. The 18-time NBA champions selected him with the 16th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.

However, Yabusele did not make his NBA debut until 2017. He also spent time with the Celtics’ G League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws. Although he became a fan favorite and earned the nickname “The Dancing Bear,” there was stiff competition at the forward spot. With Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown playing the same position, it limited Yabusele’s opportunities. The Celtics waived him in the summer of 2019, and he played overseas for the next few years.

Guerschon Yabusele’s Viral Dunk Over LeBron James

Yabusele played for the host team France in the men’s basketball tournament of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. He averaged 14.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 0.5 steals in six games as the French men’s national basketball squad reached the gold medal game against Team USA.

The former first-round pick arguably delivered his best performance of the tournament against Tem USA, scoring 20 points on 6-of-14 shooting, adding two rebounds and two steals. He also made headlines with a viral and-one dunk against Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James in the second quarter of the game.

Despite his efforts, France ultimately settled for silver, losing the decisive game by the final score of 98-87. Yabusele captured his second consecutive silver medal, having also been part of the French squad that claimed silver and lost to Team USA in the men’s basketball gold medal game of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo (held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic).