According to media personality Zhou Peng's revelation, NBA Timberwolves guard Daejon Nichols has been cut by the Timberwolves, and several CBA teams are interested in signing him.
Most fans are not too familiar with Daejon Nichols, but he left a deep impression as a "tank god" during his time with the Rockets. His role on the court was actually to lose games, as the Rockets lost games to secure higher draft picks. During his time with the Rockets, Nichols averaged 3.5 points, 1.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.8 steals, and 1.5 turnovers in 13.8 minutes per game, with a shooting percentage of 38%, a three-point percentage of 46%, and a free throw percentage of 75%.
Nichols' strengths and weaknesses are very clear. On the offensive end, he has an excellent build, standing at 193 cm tall and weighing 102 kg, making him a small cannon-type guard. He has a strong impact when driving to the basket, has a good overall view on the court, has a wide field of vision for passing, and has excellent passing skills and techniques. He also has the ability to shoot three-pointers, although it is not very stable.
Fans need not worry about his competitive form; as recently as November 10, 2024, in a G League game where the Iowa Wolves defeated the Sioux Falls Skyforce 121-118, Nichols shot 14 out of 29 from the field, 4 out of 13 from three-point range, and 7 out of 10 from the free throw line, scoring 45 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block.
This type of guard finds it difficult to survive in the NBA, but if he were to join the CBA, he would undoubtedly be a ball-handling core. He can control the ball, is tall and strong, can break through, can pass, and has some three-point shooting ability. This is almost the guard version of Loveless! However, his shortcomings include a lack of mid-range shooting ability, inconsistent outside shooting touch, and slow lateral movement speed on defense, which is hardly an issue in the CBA.
It can be said that some players have a blue-collar style of play, such as defensive stalwarts Kenyon Martin and Artest, who are not particularly effective in the CBA, but this does not detract from their status in the NBA. Players like Nichols, who are naturally core players, cannot be given a lot of ball possession in the NBA, nor can they perform well in 3D roles, but in the CBA, they are in a class of their own.
Looking at the current CBA teams, the most in need of a small foreign aid is Guangdong Hongyuan. If they can secure Nichols' joining, they will return to being a powerhouse. Xinjiang, which has recently been losing in the fourth quarter, lacks a player who can both break through and pass; Beijing's recent fluctuating form with German makes it unclear whether the team has plans to replace him; Zhejiang has recently suffered three consecutive losses, and the ability of their small foreign aid Simmons has been questioned; Shanxi has just cancelled Lemon's registration, but Nichols' style overlaps somewhat with Diawara, though their investment in foreign aid makes anything possible.
It can be said that among the top twelve teams in the league without good small foreign aids, whoever gets Nichols can change the league landscape. And among the top four or six teams, whoever gets him will have the absolute strength to compete for the championship.