The Philadelphia 76ers have struggled through a disappointing season. At 12th place in the Eastern Conference, it will be harder to book a playoff ticket without Joel Embiid and Paul George.

However, a lesser-known but equally important asset, Guerschon Yabusele, is showing up in the absence of the top scorers. The Frenchman has shown a marked improvement this season, and his strong play may cost him too much money to remain in Philadelphia.

Yabusele Could Head to Spurs This Free Agency Season

NBA Free Agency Rumors: 76ers' French Forward Could Reunite With NBA Free Agency Rumors: 76ers' French Forward Could Reunite With
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Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus reports that the San Antonio Spurs will be making a serious push to bring Yabusele aboard this offseason. The bench warmer has a lot of obligations now, and he's regarded to be one of the top scorers for Philly.

This year, Yabusele has excelled with a bigger role, playing 26 minutes a game and providing 10.8 points. His reliability has been rewarded and, most importantly, caught the eye of teams that are willing to pay him a more substantial contract.

"The San Antonio Spurs have one of Yabusele's French teammates in Victor Wembanayama (assuming he recovers fully from the deep vein thrombosis that prematurely ended his season) and the full non-taxpayer MLE at its disposal. The Spurs can offer Yabusele a four-year deal worth up to $60.6 million, which the Sixers may not be able to reach based on their proximity to the aprons," Pincus wrote.

Why Spurs Are Interested in Yabusele?

Spurs' interest in Yabusele is entirely logical, according to The Sporting News. With Wembanyama anchoring the franchise, signing another skilled French player would improve team cohesion and enhance their front-line depth. Further, the Spurs have cap space available to give Yabusele a multi-year contract that the 76ers would be hard-pressed to match.

Philadelphia is tight against the cap, with several player options and restricted free agents on the team.

For instance, the offseason payroll for the 76ers is out of their hands. Three players have player options including Eric Gordon ($3.5 million), Andre Drummond ($5 million), and Kelly Oubre Jr. ($8.4 million).

On top of those, Pincus noted that the 76ers also have a restricted free agent in Quentin Grimes, who might earn a large contract due to his late-season breakout.

Philadelphia's Dilemma: Rebuild or Retool?

With the 76ers now accepting their fate to be a rebuilding team soon, it's reasonable to let go of a rising forward, Yabusele. The main objective would still build a team around Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, and they couldn't afford to overpay. This is the reason why Yabusele is better off in another team.

If another team makes an offer near the rumored $60 million, Yabusele will likely depart in free agency. Philadelphia's management needs to ensure calculated decisions to bolster its roster without compromising future flexibility.

Yabusele's departure would be a tough pill for the 76ers to swallow, but it's an inevitable one considering their present financial situation. With the Spurs lining up a strong bid, the 76ers would have to balance the expense of retaining Yabusele with their long-term objectives.