Life is unfair for most in the NBA. It is tough to get a gig, and even tougher to stick around.
The Nets completed their trade with the Golden State Warriors on Sunday, a deal that sent Dennis Schröder and a 2025 second-round pick to the Bay Area in exchange for De’Anthony Melton and two-way guard Reece Beekman, along with three unprotected second round draft picks.
NBA teams can carry up to three players on two-way contracts. To make room for Beekman, Brooklyn was forced to waive fan-favorite Cui Yongxi, who suffered a season-ending ACL injury while playing for G League affiliate Long Island last Wednesday.
The Nets signed Cui, 21, to a two-way deal in September. He was immediately embraced by the fan base and received quite the ovation when he made his NBA debut in the final minutes of Brooklyn’s 115-102 defeat of the Milwaukee Bucks on Oct. 27. That night, he became the seventh Chinese player to appear in an official NBA game.
However, after just five regular-season appearances for the Nets, the rookie said goodbye to Brooklyn, and the NBA, in a heartfelt message on social media. The Nets said he is expected to make a full recovery.
“I may have to step away from the court for a while now, but once I recover from my injury, I will continue striving for the NBA, pushing myself until I’ve burned up every last ounce of energy,” Cui wrote. “I will dedicate these past ten-plus years and all the time ahead to the basketball I love, to Chinese basketball, to the fans who support me, and to everyone who loves the game.”
Cui, 6-5, played just 10 total minutes across his five appearances in Brooklyn. In six games with Long Island, he averaged 5.2 points per game and shot 42.9% from 3-point range.
“Wildfires cannot be extinguished, spring breezes will bring them back to life,” Cui wrote. “When you are in doubt, ask the spring breeze. The spring breeze is silent, following my heart, but how can I be indecisive when my heart is firm?… There is a saying that I also deeply understand: The spring breeze has its own worries, so I don’t need the spring breeze to be carefree for me.”