In a recent U21 men’s basketball national championship game, the Guangdong youth team suffered a heavy 94-69 defeat against their Beijing Shougang counterparts. Despite fielding key guards Yang Yi and Li Yizhen, both of whom have CBA experience, Guangdong’s young squad failed to compete effectively, even missing stars like Chen Jiazheng and Wang Hongze. The 25-point loss highlighted critical weaknesses in the team’s backcourt performance. 
Yang Yi, known for his aggressive, fast-paced play and strong driving ability, has been widely regarded as a potential upgrade to Xu Jie due to his explosive style. However, his glaring lack of consistent three-point shooting was ruthlessly exposed by Beijing’s defense. Unlike Xu Jie, whose reliable outside shooting makes him a staple in Guangdong’s rotations, Yang’s shooting struggles have limited his opportunities at the CBA level. This weakness was so pronounced that even in the U21 league, opponents could focus on shutting down his penetration, leading to a decisive underperformance. As a result, Guangdong head coach Du Feng appears increasingly inclined to move on from Yang Yi, who has already been sidelined from the current CBA season as the team’s main roster reaches saturation. 
Many analysts suggest Guangdong may explore trading Yang Yi during the offseason to address their urgent need for frontcourt depth. The team’s interior issues cannot be reliably solved by relying on Jiao Boqiao, while Wang Shaojie’s loan from Beijing Royal Fighters is expiring. Even if Guangdong secures a permanent deal for Wang, he is best suited as a backup center. What the team truly requires, especially after a playoff run where Du Runwang was repeatedly targeted and Zhang Haojia had to play out of position at power forward, is a quality本土 (local) four-man. Acquiring a solid power forward would significantly stabilize Guangdong’s frontcourt rotation.
With established guards Xu Jie and Hu Mingxuan already anchoring the backcourt, and the potential retention of Samner, Yang Yi’s path to playing time in Guangdong is virtually blocked. Given that Xu Jie is expected to remain the primary playmaker for at least another 5-8 years, Du Feng will likely develop taller, more athletic guards in the coming seasons. Trading Yang Yi to a team where he can get consistent minutes makes sense. A proposed swap sending Yang to Guangzhou in exchange for Chen Guohao could be a win-win: Guangzhou gets a dynamic young guard, while Guangdong lands a proven, athletic power forward to fill their biggest roster hole.
In summary, Yang Yi’s future with Guangdong appears limited, while the team’s need for a starting-caliber four-man is critical. Many fans are now urging the front office, led by General Manager Zhu Fangyu, to pursue a trade centered around Yang Yi to bring Chen Guohao to the squad.
