With Beijing advancing to the CBA semifinals, Guangdong’s season is officially over. Now, the front office must prepare for next year, and player changes are a top priority—general manager Zhu Fangyu likely already has a plan. The first foreign player to be cut should be Jared Sallinger, whose contributions have fallen short of expectations, especially given his massive salary. His value for the money is simply too low. 
In the three-game series against Beijing, Sallinger played only 22 minutes in the opener, scoring 16 points, but his court time dropped below 15 minutes in the next two games. In such crucial playoff matches, where interior play is vital and Guangdong lacks strong domestic centers, the team needed its import to step up—yet Sallinger failed to earn head coach Du Feng’s trust. 
Sallinger’s weaknesses were already apparent by mid-season. Guangdong played well in the first stage, but when they faced Beijing and Shanghai, their interior fragility was exposed, and Sallinger’s flaws became obvious. By the third stage, rumors swirled that Guangdong was looking for a new big man, with Zhu Fangyu even telling fan groups that a replacement was on the way. But the season ended without any change in the lineup. 
Calling Sallinger a “flop” would be unfair. Since joining the CBA in 2017, he proved himself repeatedly. After returning to Shenzhen in 2021, he remained a versatile threat—averaging up to 22 points and 13.6 rebounds per game. At the time, Liaoning’s head coach Yang Ming reportedly coveted the dominant big man. However, age has caught up with Sallinger. His performance declined, which is why Shenzhen sold him to Beijing Royal Fighters in 2024. There, his numbers were still solid, but his attitude was questioned—partly due to age, partly due to team atmosphere.
Last year, Beijing Royal Fighters didn’t renew Sallinger, but he remained a hot commodity despite being 33. According to reports, Liaoning offered him $1 million. Then Guangdong swooped in, much like they did with Morland earlier, offering $1.8 million—about 12.92 million yuan. The big contract and a return to familiar Guangdong territory convinced Sallinger to join the Southern Tigers.
But now, that deal looks like a poor investment. Sallinger’s declining mobility means he can no longer dominate inside. Yang Ming, now a commentator, pointed out that Sallinger often drifts to the perimeter, clogging space for his teammates. He also struggles to finish at the rim or distribute effectively, and his lack of pick-and-roll chemistry with guards has made Guangdong’s offense predictable.
Defensively, Sallinger’s issues are even more glaring. At power forward height, he’s never been ideal for guarding centers, but he used to compensate with positioning and strength. Now, he can’t match up with elite bigs like Beijing’s Zhou Qi or even other tall centers across the league. At that price tag, he’s no longer a viable asset. Expect Zhu Fangyu to let him go this summer.