Big Fish Incoming! Shanxi Basketball Reportedly Eyeing Diallo for Over $5 Million

As the 2025-26 CBA offseason nears its end, rumors are intensifying that last season’s surprise team, Shanxi, is looking to re-sign top-tier foreign player Diallo. Sources indicate that Shanxi did not renew contracts for Goodwin, Diallo, or Kyle during the offseason. After Goodwin was snapped up by Shanghai, Diallo joined Spanish La Liga powerhouse Baskonia. Currently, Shanxi’s foreign roster is limited to Nowell, Haggins, and Faye, leaving a glaring void at the forward position.

Last season, Shanxi’s combination of Goodwin + Diallo + Kyle blended perfectly with the domestic roster, helping the team finish second in the regular season and sweep Guangdong in the playoff quarterfinals. Now, Haggins lacks offensive firepower, Faye serves mainly as a defensive anchor, and whether Nowell can adapt to the CBA and cover the gaps left by Goodwin and Kyle remains uncertain.

Faced with this situation, Shanxi management is reportedly prepared to pay a record-breaking sum—including buyout fees—to bring Diallo back, with total costs possibly exceeding $5 million. While such a move would shake up the CBA foreign player market, the risks are high, especially against strengthened rivals like Guangdong, Guangsha, Beijing Shougang, and Shanghai, leaving Shanxi far from a guaranteed contender.

In short, Diallo is one of the highest-valued foreign players in the league, but Shanxi’s “all-in” approach may not be cost-effective at this stage. Waiting for rising talents like Zhang Boyuan and Dan Houran to mature before investing heavily in a marquee foreign player could be a wiser strategy.