The Nets have signed Zeng Fanbo! It's been 3 years, let's make another push!

The Nets are set to sign Zeng Fanbo, and according to various reports, it will be an Exhibit 10 contract.

This young player is quite familiar, as he signed with the Pacers three years ago.

During the Summer League in July 2022, Zeng played 5 games for the Pacers, averaging about 9 minutes per game, contributing 5.4 points and 1.2 rebounds.

After the Summer League, he returned to his CBA parent team, Beijing Shougang.

Exhibit 10 is not technically a "contract"; it refers to a clause that only includes the Exhibit 10 bonus itself, with no additional bonuses.

The contract does not belong to the NBA category, but rather to the developmental league under the team, and it does not count against the team's salary cap.

It can be understood as a summer training camp contract, and these players likely won't have much to do once the new season starts.

However, they can be assigned by NBA teams to play for developmental league teams.

If he stays with the developmental league team for 60 days, he can earn a bonus ranging from $5,000 to $50,000.

So, how should we evaluate Zeng's signing?

We are not insiders, so we don't know the team's detailed plans for him moving forward.

If, and I mean if, this signing is merely for this year's two China games to make them more appealing, then there's not much to comment on.

After all, the Kings once signed Liu Wei as well.

So when I saw Zeng's signing, the first player that came to mind was: Yuta Watanabe.

Setting aside national grievances, Watanabe is definitely a role model for Zeng and a goal he can strive towards.

Watanabe took 3 years to rise from an Exhibit 10 contract to a two-way contract, and ultimately secured a standard contract with the Raptors through his relentless defensive effort, fulfilling his NBA dream.

He faced a lot of skepticism when he initially said he wanted to play in the NBA, didn't he? The best response is to let the results speak for themselves.

Then, last year, Watanabe voluntarily gave up his $2.6 million player option for the final year, ending his 6-year NBA career.

He explained that he wanted to enjoy basketball more purely; after facing many hardships in his twenties, he wanted to make up for lost youth in his thirties.

This is the autonomy Watanabe earned after 11 years of dedication, allowing him to choose between playing in the NBA or returning to Japan.

Back to Zeng Fanbo.

Three years ago, he failed to make it to the NBA. Since he is a player developed by Shougang, part of the Eagle Program, there was a prior agreement and contract, so he returned to the club and played 3 years in the CBA.

Returning in that manner, the player must have felt a sense of regret and unfulfillment.

In hindsight, going to the developmental league team was definitely not a wise choice.

Not only did he fail to realize his potential, but a large group of players from that team also had physical talent but lacked an understanding of the game, leading to their downfall, which is why that team no longer exists.

Players like Jalen Green, Jonathan Kuminga, Isaiah Todd, Dyson Daniels, Banchero, Hardy, Henderson, Leonard, Miller, Sissoko, and Mojave King were all selected for the NBA...

It's like selecting a few promising students from middle school, setting up a short-term training program, providing them with excellent resources for learning, and then having them take the college entrance exam directly—it's a guaranteed recipe for failure.

I'm not saying we must optimize that untrodden path, where flowers bloom along the way, but if Zeng had gone to the NCAA at that time, he would have matured physically, mentally, and technically.

For a 19-year-old Chinese player in a foreign land, facing so many challenges and bearing such immense pressure is incredibly tough.

But at that time, he had no choice.

Or rather, the choice may not have been in his hands.

So, let the past be the past.

If he has the chance to try again.

Let's not make it sound too grand; Zeng Fanbo just wants to give an account of his unfinished dream this time.

Success or failure, he has to try once more.

At 22, after three years of experience in domestic leagues, he has undergone significant changes physically, mentally, and technically, and he is better prepared now.

However, we don't know what deadline he has set for himself in pursuing his dreams.

Can he push for another 3 years in the U.S.?

Realistically speaking, although the Nets still have spots available, it will be challenging for Zeng to secure a two-way contract or a standard contract this year based solely on individual performance; he needs to excel in the preseason.

Unless... the Nets sign Zeng Fanbo like they did for Tsai Yongxi's two-way contract, which depends on the owner's intentions. The Nets are rebuilding, so we can't rule out this possibility. (Currently, the Nets have only 11 guaranteed contracts, with one two-way contract slot remaining.)

But ultimately, what are Zeng Fanbo's plans? Can he accept spending two years in the developmental league?

Going to the developmental league means sacrificing a lot; realistically, the pay is lower than in the CBA.

We don't need to "kidnap" athletes; it depends on his choice.

Therefore, Exhibit 10 is just a starting point.

At 22, Zeng Fanbo is setting out once again.

Unlike three years ago, this time, he is already familiar with the process.