Foreign Coach Reveals! The Most Suitable Big Import for Guangdong Exposed, Could the 2.13m Tough Center Become the Top Choice?

The highly watched CBA offseason is still ongoing, and recent news about the powerful Guangdong team strengthening its big import position has drawn attention from fans. As of now, Guangdong has not announced any substantial big import signing. However, the team has been linked with quality big imports such as Reggie Lee and Thon Maker. According to fan reports, Guangdong's new foreign coach Yakovlevic has indicated that the team already has a suitable big import candidate. Many fans believe Guangdong may make every effort to pursue former Fujian big import Thon Maker. This is because Maker has already ended his contract with a Saudi league team and is highly likely to return to the CBA next season.

It is widely known that Guangdong's new head coach Yakovlevic favors an extreme emphasis on spacing and fast-paced play. This European-style tactical philosophy requires a space-oriented interior player like Maker. Therefore, many fans predict that this 2.13-meter Australian national team center with a wingspan exceeding 2.21 meters could become Guangdong's primary choice for the big import position next season. Especially with talented center Xu Xin not returning, a quality big import could be the final piece for Guangdong's pursuit of the CBA championship. For Guangdong, which has just completed an interior rebuild, the center position currently relies mainly on Jiao Boqiao. Especially after Wang Shaojie left the team, incoming players Yang Tengfei and Zhou Peng are primarily power forwards.

Therefore, Guangdong needs not only a center with sufficient height and wingspan for the big import position, but also one who can help create spacing. As a familiar player who has already proven his value in the CBA, Maker would be an ideal choice for Guangdong. In fact, Maker's technical characteristics have already been fully demonstrated in the CBA. According to statistics, during his time with Fujian, Thon Maker averaged a double-double of 16.8 points and 10.1 rebounds per game, with a three-point shooting percentage as high as 38.8%. Although Fujian did not maximize Maker's strengths, his combination of rim protection, defensive switching ability, and outside shooting has attracted interest from multiple CBA teams.

In terms of playing style, Maker fits perfectly with new Guangdong foreign coach Yakovlevic's European tactical system emphasizing spacing and tempo. His outside shooting can effectively create offensive space, while his rim protection and switching ability can provide a defensive foundation for the team. In addition, Maker's salary contract offers strong value. Unless unexpected circumstances arise, Maker's current market contract value is reportedly still below $1 million, far lower than players such as Salinger and Quinn last season. Within Guangdong's budget for strengthening its imports, a CBA veteran like Maker offers a high margin of error and is not expected to have problems adapting to the intensity and pace of the CBA.

In summary, after Guangdong moved on from last season's two big imports Salinger and Rakosevic, the team now needs a new center who can both protect the rim and stretch the floor. Among the potential big import candidates, Thon Maker, who has already proven himself in the CBA, is clearly considered the most suitable 'tough and physical' center for Guangdong.