10 Players in China Who Could Help NBA Playoff Teams

January 28, 2015 by Andrew Crawford

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andrewcrawfordWith a triple-double of 14 points, 13 rebounds and 12 blocks on national TV, Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside
image: http://i1.wp.com/www.sheridanhoops.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/HassanWhiteside.jpg?zoom=3&resize=112%2C136
HassanWhitesidehas shown that impactful midseason signings can be found in the strangest of places.

Whiteside was a 2010 second-round pick of the Sacramento Kings. He was waived by both the Kings in 2012 and the Memphis Grizzlies three months ago. In between, Whiteside was playing for Jiangsu Tongxi in the second tier of Chinese basketball.

With the regular season of the Chinese Basketball Association set to end in less than a week, a handful of intriguing players will become available to NBA teams looking to upgrade their rosters for the rest of the season.

Keep in mind that the CBA does not offer out clauses in its player contracts. If a team makes the CBA playoffs, a player is contractually bound to that team until its postseason run is over.

With that in mind, here’s a look at 10 players in the CBA who could impact the NBA at some point this season.

Andray Blatche, F-C, Xinjiang Flying Tigers
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Andray Blatche China
Key Stats: 30.8 ppg, 14.9 rpg, 5.1 apg, 2.1 spg
Possible Return Date: TBD due to playoffs

The standout American player in the CBA this season, Blatche could arrive in the NBA and immediately improve a team’s bench or perhaps even start. Exactly when he returns is still up in the air, because Xinjiang has struggled with injuries and poor form. The Flying Tigers are a game out of the playoffs with three to play, so the former Brooklyn Net could be back in the NBA sooner rather than later.

When he does return, Blatche will be bringing with him a real scoring streak. While he has been a solid low post presence, the big man also has shot 39 percent from 3-point range. It has helped Blatche that Xinjiang paired him with Zhou Qi, one of the best rim protectors in China and a future NBA player in his own right. With Zhou handling much of the dirty work on defense, the American has been able to focus on getting buckets.

Errick McCollum, G, Zhejiang Golden Bulls
Key Stats: 38.2 ppg
Possible Return Date: Feb. 2

McCollum, whose younger brother, C.J., plays for Portland, arrived in China with a reputation for putting up big numbers and has backed that up. The point guard was the leading scorer in Israel and Greece last season and could leave China with his third successive scoring title. The bigger question is whether he can convert those accolades into an NBA gig.

Perhaps holding him back is his slender 170-pound frame. He is also a relative unknown, having played at Goshen College of the NAIA and immediately moving overseas. He is a source of instant offense, can hit shots from anywhere on the court and would presumably be one of the cheaper options available to an NBA team needing proven scoring ability.

Hamed Haddadi, C, Qingdao Eagles
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Hamed Haddadi China
Key Stats: 20.9 ppg, 14.6 rpg, 2.3 bpg
Possible Return Date: TBD due to playoffs

The former NBA center from Iran has been in outstanding form for Qingdao, leading the league in rebounding, and is one of the main reasons why the Eagles – who never have had a winning season in their CBA existence – are 27-8 and almost certain to finish the regular season with the third seed for the playoffs.

The 7-2, 265-pound Haddadi has caught many in China by surprise with his soft hands and ability to dish out assists. At 29, his game has matured to the point that the Eagles have been running plays through him all season. Last season, Haddadi opted to return to Iran at the end of the CBA season. This time around, the chance to return to the NBA could persuade him to return to America instead.

Dominique Jones, G, Jilin Northeast Tigers
Key Stats: 37.8 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 8.0 apg
Possible Return Date: TBD due to playoffs

After an under-the-radar season last year in China, Jones has been one of the most outstanding shooters in the league. Moreover, playing for a Jilin team that has a pretty threadbare roster, the combo guard has essentially carried the Tigers for most of the season.

Although it would be easy to dismiss him as simply a scorer, the former first-round pick also has shown that he can share the ball. For much of the season, he has helped set up local shooters like Cui Jinming and Zhong Cheng for wide-open3-pointers.

Able to excel in China due to his remarkable athleticism, Jones’ inconsistent shooting might be too big of a red flag for NBA teams, a handful of whom have passed on him before. He does have a proven ability to get to the line and finish in traffic.

Michael Beasley, F, Shanghai Sharks
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Michael_Beasley_Timberwolves
Key Stats: 29.2 ppg
Possible Return Date: Feb. 2

One of the few bright spots in an otherwise wretched season for Shanghai, Beasley has been a force at the power forward position for much of the CBA season. There are still lapses in concentration, and at times the former Miami Heat lottery pick has been turnover-prone. But as a pure scorer, Beasley has few equals in the CBA.

As recently as last week, Beasley shattered the record for most points in the CBA All-Star Game with 59. Although he has been well-received in China, he still has the skills to succeed in the NBA. If he were to land with an organization that has a strong locker room culture, Beasley would be good for 7-10 points off the bench on most nights. As always, Beasley is a gamble but remains one worth taking based on his CBA form alone.

Von Wafer, G, Shanxi Brave Dragons
Key Stats 31.4 ppg
Possible Return Date: TBD due to playoffs

Despite having not played in the NBA since 2012, there is still every chance that Wafer could be a useful player for a team needing perimeter shooting. The much-traveled shooting guard has been outstanding for the Dragons, whose coach Yang Xuezeng is well known for his all-action offensive playbook that helps generate enormous amounts of scoring.

Wafer is currently averaging 31.4 points while shooting close to 50 percent from 3-point range. He will not be winning awards for his overall contributions to Shanxi, but Wafer has been a clutch shooter for much of the season.

Lester Hudson, G, Liaoning Flying Leopards
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Lester Hudson China
Key Stats: 30.9 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 6.7 apg, 3.5 spg
Possible Return Date: TBD due to playoffs

Arguably the best-kept secret in Chinese basketball, Hudson is among the most feared guards in the CBA. Last season, he almost singlehandedly took Xinjiang to the Finals and it looks like the American could do the same this season with Liaoning. A stocky, powerfully built guard, Hudson is tough to stop when he comes roaring around screens and into the paint, something he has used to his advantage for years in the CBA.

Although Hudson previously has been seen as a point guard because of his height, he has spent most of his time with Liaoning playing off the ball – and thriving. At 30 years old, he is running out of time to make it back to the NBA. But a 2012 spell with Cleveland in which he averaged 12.7 points underlines that the Memphis native can compete at the NBA level.

Arsalan Kazemi, F, Chongqing Flying Dragons
Key Stats :13.5rpg
Possible Return Date: Feb. 2

An undersized power forward whose rights are currently held by the Philadelphia 76ers, Kazemi has been impressive since arriving in China from his home country of Iran. Primarily a defensive player, Kazemi’s calling card is his relentless rebounding; he has a handful of 20-rebound games this season.

Kazemi is a fairly limited player, but given the increasing value of hard-nosed rebounders in the NBA, he could absolutely find himself a team needing his hustle for a few minutes a night.

Will Bynum, G, Guangdong Tigers
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250px-WillBynum
Key Stats: 23.2 ppg, 7.4 apg
Possible Return Date: TBD due to playoffs

Few players have been as impactful in China as Bynum, the former Detroit Pistons point guard waived by Boston early this season. A midseason addition after teenage signing Emmanuel Mudiay went down with injury, Bynum has not only steadied the ship but has helped the already dangerous Tigers become even more formidable. Guangdong has won 24 straight games, a CBA record.

Bynum has emerged as a dependable starter who can put the team on his back when needed. Equally important has been his on-court relationship with former NBA lottery pick Yi Jianlian, who is enjoying some of the best basketball in his career and has clearly thrived with Bynum running pick-and-rolls for Yi to finish off. Although he will not have quite as big an NBA impact, Bynum’s veteran know-how could help a team needing an experienced ball handler.

Willie Warren, G, Chongqing Flying Dragons
Key Stats: 38.2 ppg
Possible Return Date: Feb. 2

For a player once seen as a potential lottery pick when he was at Oklahoma, the last couple of years have been somewhat surreal for Warren. When Chongqing signed him, the combo guard had spent most of the previous season playing in obscurity in Hungary. But since he has arrived in China, Warren has been outstanding. A nimble player who has scored the bulk of his points on drives to the rim, Warren also can create his own shot from the perimeter.

Chongqing has the worst local roster in the league and basically doesn’t have any plays; its offense begins and ends with Warren holding the ball and creating, and typically the final result is a bucket. That said, Warren is a bit streaky and not a reliable 3-point shooter, which could haunt him at a higher level. Just 25 years old, Warren remains an intriguing project for the right team.

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Andrew Crawford is a long-time Chinese basketball writer and a former beat reporter in the Chinese Basketball Association. His twitter address is @shouldersgalore.

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