The CBA has entered its third player trading window period, which serves as the final opportunity for teams in need of roster reinforcement to make adjustments. According to an official announcement from the CBA, Yu Xiaohui, a former player of the Xinjiang men's basketball team who was traded to Guangzhou Long Lions last season, has been cut and added to the list of free agents.
Yu Xiaohui is known as "Little Zhou Qi," but he has never secured consistent playing time in the CBA. Despite this, his height of 2.15 meters could potentially lead him back to his old club, Xinjiang, especially since they are currently short on players.
Yu Xiaohui's career can be described as starting high and going low. He joined Xinjiang with Qi Lin but never managed to secure consistent playing time. During his tenure, he was loaned to Sichuan, but returned early due to a shortage of forwards at Xinjiang, only to find himself still unable to enter the regular rotation.
Last season during the trading window, he was traded to Guangzhou Long Lions as part of a deal. Under coach Guo Shiqiang, Yu Xiaohui did receive significant playing time, averaging a career-high 6.6 points per game.
At the beginning of this season, Yu Xiaohui was still able to enter the rotation lineup. However, he soon found himself unable to make the 12-man roster and was sent directly to the reserve team. His performance in the CBDL league was commendable. It seems that he did not meet the requirements of head coach Mitchell, leading to the decision by Guangzhou Long Lions to cut him, which also helps save on wages.
Although Yu Xiaohui has not fully realized his potential, his height of 2.15 meters and mid-range shooting ability could still provide some assistance to teams lacking in the frontcourt. Currently, Xinjiang's frontcourt is severely understaffed, making it possible for Yu Xiaohui to return to his old club. At the very least, he could provide Li Yanze with five minutes of rest. Let's wait and see!