Hardwood Houdini
Fansided

Free Guerschon: Let the Dancing Bear Out of His Cage

By Morgan McDaniel

BOSTON, MA - MAY 9: Guerschon Yabusele #30 and Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics high-five after Game Five of the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on May 9, 2018 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - MAY 9: Guerschon Yabusele #30 and Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics high-five after Game Five of the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on May 9, 2018 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Guerschon Yabusele, dancing bear and heartthrob

Boston Celtics fans love the guys at the end of the bench. Beyond the typical underdog story, Boston’s faithful have an inexplicable crush on players who rarely see the floor.

Brian Scalabrine, a.k.a. the White Mamba, endeared himself to Celtics fans everywhere. He now finds himself as the color analyst for road games alongside Mike Gorman. Luigi “Gigi” Datome, with his glorious man bun and spark plug mentality, is another recent example.

He also provided a personal favorite screenshot when he guarded Mario Chalmers while each wore the corresponding colors of the Mario Bros.

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The Will, but Not The Time

Currently, Yabusele occupies the heart of Boston. The Dancing Bear got the name for his surprising agility in spite of his size. Whispers of him as “the French Draymond,” however, remain unproven on the court. This partially comes from a lack of playing time for Yabusele.

Since being picked 16th overall in the 2016 draft, Guerschon has played only 33 regular season games and 7 playoff games (per NBA.com/stats). He averaged 7.1 minutes with 2.4 PPG and 1.6 rebounds.

He only appeared for about 4 minutes a game in the playoffs. In the series against the 76ers, Yabusele found himself out of the rotation entirely. Even as injuries piled up, the rotation only tightened rather than expand to include him.

Wildlife Release

Without much of an opportunity to prove himself, Guerschon needs to be released to establish a real rhythm in the NBA. His roster spot would be better used for a 2nd two-way contract. Perhaps Boston’s beloved GM will find another low-cost free agent to provide veteran depth.

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Either way, his release would help both parties. Yabusele might find legitimate reserve minutes on a different (read: less-talented) squad. Give him his freedom. Free the Dancing Bear. Celtics fans will keep him in their hearts. The team, however, needs a better choice for bench depth.

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