On January 21, on the last day of the CBA trading window for the 2023-2024 season, the Guangzhou team and the Xinjiang team reached a blockbuster transfer deal. According to reports from multiple sources, the Guangzhou team traded Li Yanzhe and Wang Quanze to the Xinjiang team in exchange for inside player Yu Xiaohui and defender Yili Fulati. Although both clubs and CBA officials have not yet confirmed the news, Guangzhou team members Cui Yongxi and Jiao Boqiao both said goodbye to Li Yanzhe on their social media, which shows that Li Yanzhe's departure is almost inseparable.
Cui Yongxi wrote affectionately: "When it comes to transactions, I don't think anyone will think of you, but there are some things we can't resist. This night is really sad, but it also proves your value. I feel like this morning I saw a child who was forced to leave home, and a father who worked hard to cultivate you until the end, but watched you walk away unable to make a decision, and we brothers who are as close as family don’t know what to do. To soothe your mood. But I still hope you are well and eat more beef and mutton over there."
Li Yanzhe is a player produced by the Guangzhou Dragons and Lions youth training. Since entering the CBA in the 2018-2019 season, his five-year career has All spent in the Guangzhou team. After Guo Shiqiang came to the Guangzhou team, Li Yanzhe's tactical status and on-field role have skyrocketed, and his progress in the past three seasons has been very obvious. So far this season, Li Yanzhe has averaged 25.5 minutes per game and scored 10.6 points. He is the starting center of the Guangzhou team. Not only that, as one of the longest-serving players in the Guangzhou team, Li Yanzhe has a very harmonious relationship with his teammates. It can be seen from Cui Yongxi's affectionate farewell that their relationship is extraordinary.
Li Yanzhe’s role is not only reflected in statistics. Now he is one of the important offensive launch points of the Guangzhou team. His solid cover quality can provide enough help for defenders and forward players. His defensive ability in the interior is also close to that of the league. Top notch. After letting Li Yanzhe go, the Guangzhou team's interior defensive quality will inevitably be greatly weakened. Yu Xiaohui, who was exchanged from the Xinjiang team, has not had an appearance record this season, and although Iliforati has shown certain potential, he is still far from being a mature player. With foreign aid Moore seriously injured and the team currently operating with only one foreign aid, the Guangzhou team that let go of Li Yanzhe will face another blow.
The Xinjiang team that acquired Li Yanzhe will once again enrich its lineup. They already have two powerful centers in Wu Guanxi and Li Yanzhe. The Xinjiang team, which is already the favorite to win the championship, has another weight to win the championship.
For fans of the Guangzhou team, such a deal is somewhat unacceptable. After all, the team is now on the rise. Before losing to the Beijing Control Team in the last round, it had just won a wave of four consecutive victories. The team's operation was quite smooth. . In the three seasons since Guo Shiqiang came to the team, the Guangzhou team has steadily improved year by year. On the basis of entering the playoffs for three consecutive years, one step at a time, the Guangzhou team reached the quarterfinals last season. Guangzhou fans expect the team to achieve greater success, but after the main center is traded, the Guangzhou team's record will definitely be affected.
But for the two teams, Guangzhou and Xinjiang, this seems to be a win-win deal. The Guangzhou team's operational pressure will be greatly relieved, and the Xinjiang team has another piece of the puzzle to complete the championship lineup. For a mid-tier team like the Guangzhou team that doesn't invest much, trading its core players is both a helpless move and a way to survive.
Text | Reporter Hao Haoyu
Picture | Reporter Zhong Zhenbin
