"NOT WHAT I EXPECTED" — GUERSCHON YABUSELE’S HONEST ADMISSION ABOUT HIS FAILED NEW YORK STINT
Guerschon Yabusele admits his New York Knicks season is a disappointment as trade talks with the San Antonio Spurs lose momentum.
Guerschon Yabusele, wearing #28 for the New York Knicks, found himself matched up against Sion James of the Charlotte Hornets in the first half at Madison Square Garden. But off the court, things aren’t quite so straightforward for Yabusele or the Knicks.
New York’s been trying to trade the veteran forward, but it hasn’t gone smoothly. The San Antonio Spurs, once thought to be interested, started backing away as the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline got closer.
According to Brett Siegel at ClutchPoints, talks between the Knicks and Spurs have basically stalled. San Antonio is rethinking things — especially when it comes to giving up young forward Jeremy Sochan, who the Knicks wanted in a potential deal.
The Knicks took a shot at landing Sochan, who was the ninth pick in the 2022 NBA Draft and is wrapping up his rookie contract. He’s set to become a restricted free agent this summer. Siegel pointed out that Sochan’s defence and ability to attack the basket would mesh well with New York’s style, but people inside the Spurs aren’t on board with trading him.
Even though Sochan’s role with the Spurs has been up and down, San Antonio still likes his potential and hasn’t shown any real willingness to move him. That means Yabusele, who once seemed like a perfect fit for the Spurs — partly because of his connection with Victor Wembanyama — is no longer a priority.
The Spurs are still looking to strengthen their frontcourt behind Wembanyama, but Siegel reports they’re now looking at other options, including possibly using Kelly Olynyk’s expiring $13.4 million contract as a trade chip.
Early on, a lot of people thought that Yabusele’s experience playing with Wembanyama on France’s national team at the 2024 Paris Olympics might push San Antonio to bring him in. Yabusele played well there, helping France win a silver medal and putting himself back on the NBA radar. But that Olympic connection just isn’t enough to sway the Spurs, especially since they don’t want to mess with their young core or send Sochan packing.
As talks started to fizzle late last week, some around the league wondered if the Spurs were closing in on a different deal entirely—one that would take them out of the Yabusele sweepstakes for good.
Yabusele, meanwhile, seems to know where things stand. He told The New York Post’s Jared Schwartz that his first year in New York has been a letdown. “It’s definitely not what I was expecting coming into the season,” he admitted before Saturday’s win over the Sixers. “I thought it would be a little more different.”
Last year, he was a regular part of the Sixers’ rotation. This season, he’s barely seeing the floor for the Knicks — averaging just 9.2 minutes in 38 games, and he went scoreless in three minutes against his old team on Saturday.
Social media hasn’t exactly calmed the rumours. Yabusele recently shared—then deleted—a tweet from a French account that said, “A trade and a good situation for the captain [of the French national team], that’s all we’re asking.” It fuelled speculation that a move could be on the way.
He’s kept his comments pretty measured, though. “It’s nothing that I can control,” Yabusele said. “Just try to be smart, prepare, and be as ready as I can. When my name is called, give everything on the court.”
He also posted, and quickly deleted, a cryptic message: “Whatever happens tomorrow, I’m extremely blessed to be in the position that I am today. Minor setback for a major comeback — that’s my favourite.” Some took it as a sign that a trade was about to happen, but so far, nothing has come together.
With San Antonio cooling off, the Knicks are still working the phones, looking for ways to shake up their roster and add some balance up front—all while trying to stay under the NBA’s tough salary cap limits. They’ve reportedly had talks with the Pelicans and a few other teams, but time is running out, and the options are thinning. For now, Yabusele’s future is still up in the air.
LAKERS ON THE BRINK: LEBRON JAMES ADMITS DISAPPOINTMENT AFTER 3-0 SERIES DEFICIT
"We still have life." LeBron James remains defiant despite a brutal 131-108 loss to OKC at the Crypto.com Arena on Saturday.
The Los Angeles Lakers find themselves just one loss away from elimination after a tough 131-108 defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday night. Although the Lakers held a halftime lead for the second consecutive game, they again fell apart in the second half, allowing Oklahoma City to cruise to a 3-0 series lead.
LeBron James spoke after the game, highlighting the Thunder’s depth and relentless energy while emphasising that the Lakers still believe they have a chance to push the series further. The Thunder outscored Los Angeles 74-49 after halftime and once more dominated the third quarter, continuing a pattern that has largely defined this series.
“They’re solid from top to bottom,” James said after the game. “And they never take their foot off the gas.”
Oklahoma City converted at a 56 per cent clip and spread the scoring load, even though reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was only 7-of-20 from the field with 23 points. The Thunder’s supporting players reinforced the effort alongside Chet Holmgren, Ajay Mitchell, Jared McCain, and Alex Caruso.
LeBron pointed directly to the third quarter as the turning point for Game 3.
“Obviously, the third quarter is where it starts,” he noted. “We lacked the energy and effort, and they dropped over 30 points on us.”
Despite strong first-half performances from Rui Hachimura and Luke Kennard, giving Los Angeles a one-point lead at halftime, Oklahoma City seized control right after the break, forcing turnovers and capitalising on easy transition baskets.
“In that third quarter, we couldn’t hit shots,” James admitted. “We defended but didn’t get stops, which let them take control.”
The Lakers were outscored 33-20 in that quarter alone. James managed just one field goal, while Austin Reaves went scoreless in the period.
James finished the night with 19 points, eight assists, and six rebounds, but his shooting was off at 7-for-19, and he posted a minus-24 plus-minus rating.
Los Angeles also turned the ball over 17 times, which led to 30 points for the Thunder. Oklahoma City outscored the Lakers 64-44 in the paint as well.
When pressed about the frustration of falling behind 3-0, James kept his response measured.
“I can’t say I’m not disappointed or angry,” he said. “You’re obviously disappointed being down 3-0, but we still have life. That’s all you can ask for. We have to be much better on Monday.”
Lakers coach JJ Redick backed up James’ take, describing Oklahoma City as an elite team in the NBA.
“They’ve beaten us three straight games,” Redick said. “They’re a really impressive basketball team.”
Redick previously drew comparisons between the Thunder and dominant teams like the 1990s Chicago Bulls and the 2017-18 Golden State Warriors. James acknowledged Oklahoma City’s versatility and depth, which have caused significant matchup problems.
“They have the right personnel to adapt to whatever you throw out there,” James said. “And they stay productive no matter who’s on the floor.”
Even with Gilgeous-Alexander’s uneven scoring, the Thunder have continued to win comfortably. Holmgren’s inside presence has been dominant, and Mitchell once again put up a strong stat line with 24 points and 10 assists.
James wasn’t surprised by the Thunder’s sustained pressure, given their roster makeup.
“You’ve seen them develop over the years,” he said. “They have a lot of players who can do multiple things, and that depth really helps.”
The Lakers are still without Luka Doncic, sidelined with a Grade 2 hamstring strain from April, which has hampered their offensive rhythm, especially late in games.
Facing elimination now, James insisted the team’s focus remains squarely on Game 4 rather than any bigger questions about the group’s future.
"No", James said when asked if they considered this might be their last run together. “We’re just concentrating on the moment and moving forward from there.”
Game 4 is set for Monday night in Los Angeles, where the Lakers will fight to avoid a sweep and keep the series alive before heading back to Oklahoma City.
MAX HOLLOWAY BREAKS SILENCE ON PARAMOUNT REGARDING CONOR MCGREGOR UFC 329 RUMORS
Relive the 13-year history between Holloway and McGregor as the Hawaiian star targets International Fight Week for ultimate revenge.
Max Holloway is hungry for payback against Conor McGregor as rumours swirl about a rematch.
McGregor hasn’t stepped inside the octagon since that quick loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in 2021. His last win was way back in 2020 when he steamrolled Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone in under a minute. He was supposed to fight Michael Chandler in 2024, but that fell through after he got injured.
Now, at 37, McGregor’s back in training and eyeing a return for UFC 329 on July 11, right as International Fight Week rolls around. Before that, he missed out on a shot at the White House card, so this July date is shaping up to be his next window.
Dana White has flip-flopped a bit on McGregor’s comeback, but now he sounds confident: “It’s looking good. Believe me, you know once we get a deal done with him, we will announce it.” And right now, Holloway looks like the top pick for the fight, 13 years after they first went at it.
Back then, McGregor beat Holloway by decision. Since then, Holloway’s had his own ups and downs; he lost the BMF belt to Charles Oliveira in March and hasn’t fought since. Still, he’s eager to get back, especially if it means a shot at Conor.
Talking to Paramount, Holloway laid it out: “We have history. We fought a long time ago. If someone’s got a win over me, I want that back. If he really is serious about returning, and it looks like he is, then this is an exciting fight. He looks hungry. He even did a boxing exhibition not too long ago, so it looks like he’s really coming back. I just want another shot. Any fight with Conor is huge, but with our past? It means even more. If I can knock a few names off my list, that’s great.”
For now, Holloway hasn’t heard anything official from the UFC about July. "Maybe we'll see what happens,” he said. “I’m seeing all the same talk you are. I haven’t heard anything yet, but July would work for me. They say you’re only as good as your last fight, and I want people to forget about that one as soon as possible.”
