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In the history of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), perhaps no other deal has shaken the league as much as the swap between Zhou Qi and Zhao Rui. With the start of the 18th round of the regular season, 1/3 of the season has passed, and this historic trade has undoubtedly changed the landscape of the new season for the championship.
At the beginning of the season, the favourites for the championship have been relatively clear, with last season's defending champion Liaoning men's basketball team, as well as strong Zhejiang, Guangsha, Xinjiang and Guangdong, all strong contenders for the championship. However, the trade between Zhou Qi and Zhao Rui brought an unexpected twist to the battle. This trade is not only a swap of two top players, but also the most explosive transaction in CBA history.
After sending Zhou Qi away, the Xinjiang team apparently made a deliberate decision. After signing Edison Wu this summer, they reassessed Zhou's value. Considering the overall structure and strategic needs of the team, the Xinjiang team believes that Zhao Rui is the most suitable replacement. Zhao Rui, an experienced playoff player and starting guard for the national team, may not be a complete match for Zhou Qi in terms of ability, but his addition at least ensures that the Xinjiang men's basketball team will not be at a disadvantage in the trade.
The Guangdong team is in the rebuilding stage after experiencing the retirement of Yi Jianlian and the departure of many important players. In this context, the emergence of Zhou Qi is undoubtedly a ray of life. His addition has brought hope and strength to the Guangdong team. Zhou Qi's technical characteristics and tactical value are unique in the CBA.
The Xinjiang men's basketball team is currently in a wave of 7 consecutive wins to rush to the first place in the standings, with an average net win of 18.1 points per game, showing strong strength. Although Zhao Rui is still recovering from injury, the Xinjiang men's basketball team's lineup on paper is not inferior to any team in the CBA. Xinjiang's win over Beijing proved the team's overall strength.
For the Guangdong team, Zhou Qi's joining is a key reinforcement. Although he has not fully recovered, he has performed impressively in five games for Guangdong, averaging 20 points, 12.4 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 27.2 minutes per game. The presence of Zhou Qi has made the Guangdong men's basketball team significantly improve at both ends of the offensive and defensive ends.
This transaction is actually a win-win situation for Zhou Qi and Zhao Rui. Zhou Qi solved the problem of leaving Xinjiang, while Zhao Rui got a big contract and the opportunity to join a team with the strength to compete for the championship. Without this deal, the title race for the new season could still revolve around Liaoning, Guangsha and Zhejiang, while the rebuilding of Guangdong and Xinjiang could take longer.
The deal gives both teams a huge boost. Xinjiang got a national team-level defender to fill the gap in the back line, while Guangdong got a cornerstone player who could support the team's ability to win the championship. Taken as a whole, this transaction is a perfect collaboration for both parties.
How far Xinjiang and Guangdong can go in the new season is undoubtedly worthy of the attention and expectation of all fans. Historically, this transaction is the largest in more than 20 years in the CBA league and involves the swapping of two men's basketball starters, which is unprecedented in the history of the CBA.
With this deal driving both teams to become the favorites at the same time, it heralds a major change in the competitive landscape of the CBA this season. The performance of Xinjiang and Guangdong will directly affect the direction of the entire league, and how the two teams take advantage of the new atmosphere brought by this transaction will become one of the biggest highlights of this season's CBA.
The swap deal between Zhou Qi and Zhao Rui is not only the largest deal in CBA history, but also a major strategic adjustment for the two teams. This deal not only changed the tactical layout of the two teams, but also brought new energy and excitement to the entire league. As the season progresses, the performance of Xinjiang and Guangdong will undoubtedly become one of the most noteworthy topics in the CBA.