Cleveland Cavaliers insider Chris Fedor has cast doubt on the likelihood of Guerschon Yabusele joining the team.
Fedor believes that Yabusele, currently with Real Madrid, may not find the Cavaliers to be an ideal fit
“I just don’t know based on this current roster construction if Cleveland is the team that would pay the $2.5 million buyout to turn around and sign Guerschon Yabusele to be the last player on the roster,” Fedor stated.
The forward, who has impressed with Real Madrid and at the 2024 Paris Olympics, may prefer to stay in Europe.
Fedor noted that Yabusele is “comfortable playing in the EuroLeague where I’m getting consistent minutes, getting consistent touches, getting opportunities to play in high-level environments against some really good competition.”
Yabusele recently delivered a standout performance in the Olympics, scoring 20 points against Team USA in the gold medal game. He averaged 14 points and 3.3 rebounds per game during the tournament.
NBA insider Marc Stein reported that Yabusele has one season left on his Real Madrid contract, with an NBA buyout of $2.5 million. The buyout cost was previously set at $1 million if pursued by an NBA team before July 15. NBA teams are limited to paying $750k for international buyouts.
Yabusele, who played in the NBA from 2016 to 2019 with the Boston Celtics, is seeking a return after his impressive showing in Paris. Last season, he averaged 10.5 points and 4.9 rebounds per game for Real Madrid in the EuroLeague.
Despite his recent success, Fedor’s comments suggest that Yabusele’s potential move to the Cavaliers remains uncertain given the current roster and financial considerations.
“It’s basically like ‘okay if you’re going to call me and you’re going to make it worth it for me to come to the NBA and you’re going to give me an opportunity that’s appealing enough to come to the NBA, then I’ll do it,’” Fedor added.
