Guerschon Yabusele trade keeps looking better for the Knicks ahead of Chicago visit
The Knicks traded Guerschon Yabusele at the deadline, and the move has increasingly looked like a win for New York as Jose Alvarado has stepped into the rotation while Yabusele adjusts to a larger role in Chicago.
Knicks Prepare to Visit Recently-Traded Guerschon Yabusele
New York shipped Guerschon Yabusele to the Chicago Bulls as part of deadline activity that also involved Dalen Terry and later brought Jose Alvarado from the Pelicans to the Knicks, and now Yabusele will get his first chance to tip off against his former team when the Bulls host the Knicks in Chicago to close out the weekend.
Alvarado’s quick fit: production off the bench
Alvarado has appeared in four games since arriving in New York, coming off the bench behind Jalen Brunson and averaging 20. 5 minutes per contest, 12. 0 points, 2. 5 rebounds and 4. 0 assists while shooting 44. 7% from the field and 37. 0% from three on 6. 7 attempts per game.
Bulls give Yabusele bigger role, mixed returns
Chicago has committed to playing Yabusele as its starting center and has used him more heavily; he’s averaging 24. 8 minutes per contest and is up to about 10. 5 points with a 41. 2% field-goal mark following the trade, though the Bulls have struggled to convert that playing time into wins.
Yabusele waived his player option to facilitate the move and has seen extended action with the Bulls; in six games of extended minutes his offensive rating stands at 106. 6, a figure that has drawn contrast with other teams' backup centers this season.
What the swap has meant on the court
For New York, the arrival of Alvarado has reduced Jordan Clarkson’s minutes while adding a different defensive and playmaking look off the bench; Alvarado’s early averages—12. 0 points and 4. 0 assists in 20. 5 minutes—represent a near-instant impact in the rotation.
For Chicago, inserting Yabusele at center has created mismatch questions: he’s described as small for the five, which has put the Bulls in tough defensive spots on the glass and in rim protection despite his increased scoring and minute totals.
The two teams will settle the next chapter on the court when the Bulls host the Knicks in Chicago to close out the weekend, giving Yabusele his first scheduled chance to face his former teammates and giving New York more data on a trade that has so far tilted in its favor.
