Celtics Reportedly Interested in Reunion With Former Draft Bust at the Trade Deadline
The 2024-25 NBA trade deadline is officially less than a week away, officially going into effect on Thursday, Feb. 6 at 3 p.m. ET.
The Boston Celtics are one team that most basketball fans will have their eyes on in the coming days. Even though Joe Mazzulla's team currently sits second in the Eastern Conference with a 33-15 record, there's still plenty of room for improvement — especially if they want to win back-to-back NBA championships.
As much as Celtics fans would love to see another battle-proven name added to Mazzulla's lineup, it looks like the team could be targeting a former draft bust in a potential deal.
Celtics Trade Rumors: Boston Reportedly Eyeing 76ers' Guerschon Yabusele
On Thursday, HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reported that the Celtics "have expressed interest" in acquiring veteran big man Guerschon Yabusele from the Philadelphia 76ers. Scotto added that the New York Knicks and Denver Nuggets are among the other potential suitors.
Story: Reporting on De’Aaron Fox trade talks, Brandon Ingram, Keldon Johnson, several 76ers drawing trade interest, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Clint Capela trade talks, what the Pistons are seeking as a trade facilitator, and more NBA news on @hoopshype. https://t.co/7YoeijuJT6
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) January 30, 2025
Celtics fans are more than familiar with Yabusele, who was selected 16th overall by the franchise back in 2016. Unfortunately, the 6-foot-8, 260-pound Frenchman's time in Beantown didn't go as planned. His first two NBA campaigns were extremely disappointing as he averaged just 2.3 points and 1.4 rebounds across 74 games.
Yabusele was eventually waived by the Celtics in 2019, leading to his moving to France and Spain to continue his basketball career. Moving to Europe ended up paying off for the veteran power forward/center as he amassed plenty of overseas accolades, including three Spanish Supercups, two Liga ACB Championships, and a 2023 EuroLeague title.
Yabusele ended up back on NBA teams' radars due to an impressive Olympic performance last summer. He was one of France's best players, averaging 14.0 points and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 51.9% from the floor. That showing ultimately earned him a one-year deal with the 76ers.
Fast forward to this season when Yabusele looks like the type of player the Celtics could use in their lineup. He's suited up in 44 games (22 starts) for the 76ers so far, averaging 10.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 0.8 steals with .502/.393/.700 shooting splits while playing about 26 minutes per outing.
Acquiring Yabsuele from Philadelphia will likely cost a handful of draft picks, which Boston can certainly afford. Not only are the Celtics able to trade their 2025, 2026, and 2027 first-round picks, but they also have five second-round picks during that stretch, giving them more than enough ammunition for a deadline deal.
The Celtics are heading into the trade deadline as FanDuel Sportsbook's +210 favorite to win the 2024-25 NBA Finals. Now that he's finally shaken off the draft bust moniker, Yabusele is the perfect potential addition who could further improve those odds.
More Boston Celtics news and rumors:
feed
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.