Zhu Fangyu has yet to resolve the issue of securing a small foreign aid player as the second stage nears its end. As a result, Xu Jie has had to persist through gritted teeth. Despite his current wrist injury, he remains an indispensable figure on the team and continues to play. Zhu Ba recently made an offer to Russell, a small guard from the Turkish Super League, but it was rejected due to unresolved salary issues, leading to a breakdown in negotiations.
With only three games left in the second stage, Guangdong is unlikely to secure a foreign aid player in the short term. However, being rejected by Russell may actually be a good thing for Guangdong. This Turkish small guard does not have a height advantage and his shooting ability is average, with a three-point shooting rate of only 30%.
Last season, Guangdong brought in A Shui, who also lacked height but possessed long-range three-point skills, excellent organization, steals, and breakthrough abilities. Besides playing somewhat individually, there were no other significant problems. If he hadn't been signed by Shanghai, A Shui would indeed have been a good choice. Guangdong is currently looking for a small foreign aid player with strong scoring capabilities, and it would be even better if they played somewhat individually.
A Shui joined Shanghai at the beginning of the season and is no longer eligible to play for other CBA teams this season. There is undoubtedly a significant gap between Russell and A Shui. Signing this small foreign aid would only add another subpar player to the roster. Over the past three seasons, Zhu Fangyu has signed five super subpar players. Looking at Guangdong's history, it would be hard to find any worse than them.
In the frontcourt, there's Ellis; on the wing, Sabaz; and in the backcourt, the trio of Les, Barton, and Arms. Not being able to sign Russell this time is actually a good thing. The second stage is about to end, and during this period, Zhu Fangyu should spend more effort to see if he can find old acquaintances who have played in the CBA league, which would be relatively more reliable.
Now that the transfer window has been extended, Zhu Fangyu doesn't need to rush into things. He can appropriately raise the requirements for the strength of the foreign aid and find a player who can truly score. Both Les and Russell seem to be just going through the motions. Guangdong is not lacking in small foreign aid but in capable small foreign aid.
Don't repeat the mistake of signing Les and wasting a lot of time and resources on trial training, only to have Xu Jie carry everything in the end. The extension of the transfer window is not an excuse to slack off but an opportunity to raise the standards for screening. It is hoped that this time Zhu Ba can bring a pleasant surprise and sign a truly reliable small foreign aid.
With a configuration of four foreign aid players, the small foreign aid only needs to be able to score wildly in 15 minutes. They don't need to play much, as long as they can relieve the pressure on Xu Jie and have super scoring ability. The team doesn't even need them to organize the offense or participate excessively in defense; they just need to be able to score.
To alleviate the pressure on Xu Jie, Du Feng recently arranged for Yang Yi, the main guard of the national youth team, to come online! In the match against Fujian Men's Basketball Team, he played for 8 minutes and delivered 4 assists. Among the substitute guards in the team, his sense of the game is the best.
However, Yang Yi's problem is obvious. Without the advantages of height and physicality, he lacks stable shooting ability, which is very fatal. At the same time, Xu Jie already has stable three-point shooting and the ace move of layups. But Yang Yi has nothing right now.
As a young player, Coach Du is bold in using him. Yang Yi must also strive and work hard on his shooting in private. Only by having a threat on the offensive end can he better organize the offense. Otherwise, opponents will leave him open and double-team Guangdong's main scoring points. In that case, his presence on the court could actually cause trouble for the team.