Free agent center J.J. Hickson is finalizing an agreement with Chinese club Fujian Sturgeons, league sources told ESPN.com’s Marc Stein.
NBA veteran J.J. Hickson, who split last season with Denver and Washington, is finalizing a deal in China with Fujian, league sources say.
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) August 20, 2016
Interntional Basketball reporter David Pick was first to report the two sides negotiating on a deal.
J.J. Hickson, last with Nuggets and Wizards, negotiating a deal in China, according to source.
— David Pick (@IAmDPick) August 19, 2016
Hickson, a 6’9″ big man who started last season with Denver and ended it with Washington, has had some trouble finding a new home this summer.
While fellow big men Timofey Mozgov, Ian Mahinmi, and Bismack Biyombo have landed lucrative deals with their new teams, Hickson has yet to find a suitable deal from an NBA club.
Hickson is still capable of putting up solid offensive numbers — he shot 52% from the field last season — meaning he’ll likely be a force in the CBA.
Many are comparing this instance to when former NBA big Andray Blatche signed in China. Blatche, who also struggled in finding a new home over the summer of ’14, joined the CBA and became one of the league’s best frontcourt players.
In 35 games with the Nuggets and Wizards last year, Hickson averaged 5.9 points and 3.8 rebounds in 12.5 minutes per contest.
Hickson would have the ability to join a contender in March once the CBA season ends, as other players have done in years past.
He was selected No. 19 in the 2008 NBA draft by Cleveland.
