
The Chinese Basketball Association, which has become a popular outlet for NBA players who cannot find a contract in the States, has implemented a new rule to make it harder to sign there. Shams Charania of The Athletic reports that the CBA has a new guideline barring any players from other leagues who are serving a drug-related suspension from signing in China.
Sources: The Chinese Basketball Association is implementing new guideline barring a player under a drug- or violence-related ban/suspension in another league from signing in the CBA. The rule would impact a free agent such as 10-year NBA veteran Tyreke Evans.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 30, 2019
There are many players who go to China if they cannot get a contract from an NBA squad. But there are some who head to China to also get their careers back on track. A rule like this will have a direct impact on those players, like Tyreke Evans. For those who do not know, Evans has been banned from the NBA for two years for violating the ant-drug policy. He can apply for reinstatement in two years. With this new rule from the Chinese Basketball Association, Evans has one less avenue he can turn down in order to make an NBA comeback.
Other players who have fallen into this pit are O.J. Mayo and Chris Andersen. Mayo, in particular, has been trying to get back into game shape for an NBA comeback, but those hopes seem distant at this point.