After a five-game winning streak! Guangdong team offers a quote, bets on a 1.8-meter guard, squeezes Xu Jie out, and wins the championship lying down!
Is the introduction of new foreign aid by the Guangdong team really a strengthening move, or is it another "risk"? On the CBA court, every recruitment operation touches the hearts of fans, especially traditional giants like Guangdong Hongyuan with a glorious history. At the moment when the team won five consecutive victories and returned to the top eight in the standings, they suddenly announced plans to sign the Turkish Super League point guard Darron Russell.
A small guard only 1.8 meters tall is about to take on an important role. This move has left many fans stunned: Is Guangdong pressing the accelerator to enhance its "combat power," or stepping on a landmine of adventure?
Xu Jie, the core of Guangdong's backcourt, has performed this season as if he were "tough and silent" - sharp in breakthroughs, stable in passing and control, able to drive the whole team like an engine, and capable of standing up to handle big scenes at critical moments. But people are not made of iron, and this pace of "carrying half the backcourt alone" is truly heart-wrenching. In the past few seasons, he has been almost working non-stop throughout the year, and even injuries have not stopped his desperate efforts on the court. Fans understand that Xu Jie is a "miracle of a small man," but they also worry that if he continues like this, how long can his body hold up?
Yes, basketball is a game of five people. No matter how good a player is, he needs rotation and support. This season, Hu Mingxuan missed due to injury, directly forcing the Guangdong team's backup point guard options to the point of "no one available." When Hu Mingxuan was there, he could already share a lot of pressure with Xu Jie, but such a good partner has yet to return, and some even speculate that he may be out for the season. At this time, it seems like a natural choice for the Guangdong team to find a reliable foreign point guard to "save the day."
But the question is, is this savior foreign aid really reliable?
If we only look at the paper data, Darron Russell's resume seems to be quite passable - averaging around 20 points in the Turkish Super League, with online court control ability and explosive power.
More importantly, his salary is not high, which means low cost and quick results for the Guangdong team, appearing to be a good move of "winning big with little." Moreover, the Turkish Super League is not weak in competition; compared to the CBA, many foreign players there have excellent physical confrontation abilities and should be able to succeed in the CBA.
However, the problem arises immediately - is Guangdong's choice another "high-risk bet"? The mere 1.80 meters in height is very similar to last season's foreign aid, Waters, for the Guangdong team. What effect did Waters have after coming? Strong in attack but weak in defense, he was targeted by opponents and turned into a sieve, causing Guangdong to suffer frequently in key games. Now, they have signed another "short guard," and the subtext of the fans is written all over their faces: Does Guangdong want to do it again?
Moreover, although Russell's offensive efficiency is eye-catching, his shooting is actually not very stable. Especially in three-point shooting accuracy, he lacks consistent accuracy, nothing like Xu Jie, who is "as steady as an old dog." If he encounters strong teams with high-pressure defense, he may not be able to withstand the pressure. Many fans even say bluntly that this recruitment "may just be another temporary patch that fails at a critical moment."
In fact, the addition of Russell is not just to address the current shortage in the backcourt. In the overall planning of the Guangdong team, this recruitment has deeper considerations. Hongyuan has always been a "dynasty team" in the CBA, but with changing times, they are also experiencing transformations.
In the past two years, it can be clearly seen that the team has gradually transitioned from experienced veterans like Yi Jianlian and Zhou Peng to the middle generation like Xu Jie and Hu Mingxuan, and then to potential newcomers like Xu Xin.
Speaking of Xu Xin, he is a young center that Guangdong has focused on cultivating in recent years. At 22 years old, he has a height advantage and certain offensive talent. But honestly, such a newcomer needs a lot of training to truly step up. This requires someone to give him enough "comfortable" passing opportunities in key situations, allowing him to gradually develop technical habits instead of throwing him up as a "scapegoat."
It can be seen that signing Russell is largely considered to help Xu Xin grow faster.
Russell's court control ability and breakthrough killing power theoretically can tear open the defense and create better opportunities for inside players like Xu Xin. On the other hand, having a relatively reliable foreign guard can also give Du Feng more choices in tactical arrangements. Whether it's Xu Jie's health management or rotation trials before the finals, Russell can be considered a "half-solution to the whole" piece.
Of course, no recruitment can be "completely risk-free." Just like last season when Guangdong signed Waters, everyone had expectations for his abilities, but the final result was disappointing. Now, this signing of Russell carries the same risks.
Whether he can integrate into Guangdong's tactical system and whether he can clearly divide labor with Xu Jie and Hu Mingxuan remain to be tested on the actual court.
It is worth noting that the rules for using foreign players in the CBA league are constantly updated. How a team finds balance between "using foreign players effectively" and "using domestic players well" is a real challenge for club management. Guangdong's recruitment of Russell this time seems to be just a short-term solution, but behind it lies not only a test of Du Feng's on-site command capabilities but also the implementation of the team's "domestic + foreign" tactical model over the next few years.
What fans care most about is naturally the playoffs. If Russell cannot hold up the stage in key games, then his value to the Guangdong team may not even be considered a "temporary worker." But if he unexpectedly delivers outstanding performances and becomes an important piece in Guangdong's resurgence, it might become a successful risky investment.
Guangdong's return to the top eight in the standings is a good opportunity to prove their strength. But is signing Russell "adding charcoal to the snow" or "overdoing it"? Ultimately, it will be determined by actions on the court. Basketball is the art of winning games, and what appears to be a risky move might just become a beautiful turning point. Let's wait and see, with patience and hope, observing and expecting the profound meaning behind the dynamics together with this team.