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

During the offseason of the 2025-26 CBA League season, reports that traditional powerhouse Guangdong could sign elite big foreign player Thon Maker have continued to gain attention. According to informed sources, Guangdong head coach Yakovlevic has already stated that the team has a suitable candidate for the big foreign player position. In addition to former NBA Trail Blazers big man Reece, who was previously linked with Guangdong, former Fujian men's basketball foreign player Maker is also among the candidates. Many fans believe that this 2.13-meter-tall stretch interior player with a 2.21-meter wingspan is almost the perfect answer at the center position for Guangdong's current tactical system. Especially since Maker has not yet received a contract from an overseas league team, Guangdong has a strong opportunity to complete the reinforcement.

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

It is worth noting that Maker's salary demand is reportedly around $800,000, a figure that Guangdong can fully afford within its ample foreign player reinforcement budget. In addition, after another wing foreign player Quinn was signed away by a European team, Guangdong has significant room to operate regarding foreign player salaries. With the next season approaching, Guangdong's foreign player reinforcement plan has become urgent, and Maker has naturally become one of the safest choices. After all, Guangdong's recent reinforcements at the big foreign player position have still failed to meet expectations. Last season, Salinger was described as playing a veteran-preservation style, while emergency signing Rakocevic also failed to deliver the expected performances. Under these circumstances, a CBA familiar face like Maker would naturally be a better option.

Of course, signing a center like Thon Maker, described as a strong and physical big man, would not be easy for Guangdong. As an elite foreign player who has already proven himself in the CBA, Maker will certainly attract attention from multiple teams. However, Guangdong head coach Yakovlevic has clearly stated that the team will make every effort to find foreign players who are the best fit for the system, and Maker's style matches the European basketball philosophy that emphasizes spacing, speed and teamwork. Therefore, if Guangdong cannot secure an NBA-level interior player like Reece for the big foreign player position, it could consider betting on a highly reliable stretch center like Maker.

In summary, Maker has become Guangdong's first choice in the big foreign player reinforcement process. If Guangdong Southern Tigers' new management can successfully sign this elite stretch interior player, the team's interior rotation featuring Jiao Boqiao, Zhou Peng and Wang Hongze would combine size, shooting ability and physical strength.