A Perfect Fit for Guangdong Team? CBA Interior Force Thon Maker Could Join, Is He the Answer at Center?

During the offseason of the 2025-26 CBA season, reports that traditional powerhouse Guangdong may sign top foreign big man Thon Maker have continued to gain attention. According to informed sources, Guangdong's new head coach Yakovlevich has already stated that the team has a suitable candidate for the foreign big-man position. Besides former NBA Trail Blazers interior player Reiss, who had previously been linked with Guangdong, former Fujian men's basketball foreign player Maker is also among the candidates. Many fans believe that the 2.13-meter-tall, 2.21-meter-wingspan space-oriented interior force is almost the perfect answer at the center position for Guangdong's current tactical system. In particular, Maker has not yet received a contract from an overseas league team, giving Guangdong a strong opportunity to strengthen its roster.

From an individual skill perspective, Maker's style is highly compatible with Guangdong's reinforcement needs. As a former NBA lottery pick selected 10th overall in the first round, Maker averaged 16.8 points and 10.1 rebounds per game during his two seasons with CBA's Fujian team, shooting 48.7 percent from the field and 38.8 percent from three-point range. A modern center who can protect the rim, switch defensively, and shoot three-pointers fits perfectly with the new foreign coach's tactical philosophy of emphasizing spacing and pace. In Guangdong's current interior rotation, Jiao Boqiao's strength on offense and weakness on defense can be targeted by opponents. Veteran Zhou Peng is no longer at his peak, and new addition Yang Tengfei also does not have a very high ceiling. Under these circumstances, if Maker can successfully join Guangdong, Yakovlevich's center position will become much more competitive.

It is worth noting that Maker's salary demand is reportedly around 800,000 US dollars, a figure that Guangdong can fully afford within its available foreign-player reinforcement budget. In addition, after another wing foreign player Quinn was recruited by a European team, Guangdong has significant flexibility regarding foreign-player salaries. With the new season approaching, Guangdong's foreign-player reinforcement plan has become urgent, and Maker has naturally emerged as one of the safest choices. In recent years, Guangdong's additions at the foreign big-man position have still failed to meet expectations. Last season, Salinger was described as playing in a veteran-preservation style, while emergency signing Lakosevic also failed to deliver the expected performance. Under these circumstances, a CBA familiar face like Maker would be a better option.

Of course, signing a center like Thon Maker, described as a powerful and physical interior player, would not be easy for Guangdong. As a top foreign big man who has already proven himself in the CBA, Maker will certainly attract attention from multiple teams. However, Guangdong's new head coach Yakovlevich has clearly stated that the team will work hard to find foreign players who best fit the system, and Maker's playing style matches the European basketball philosophy that emphasizes spacing, speed, and teamwork. Therefore, if Guangdong cannot land an NBA-level interior player like Reiss for the foreign big-man spot, it could consider betting on a highly adaptable space-oriented center like Maker.

In conclusion, Maker has become Guangdong's first choice in its foreign big-man reinforcement plans. If the new Guangdong Hongyuan management can successfully sign this top space-oriented interior player, the team's interior rotation featuring Jiao Boqiao, Zhou Peng, and Wang Hongze would combine size, shooting ability, and physical strength.