Dallas Mavericks officially waive Ding Yanyuhang: To play for Legends

The Dallas Mavericks waived Ding Yanyuhang on Oct. 10 which confirms that he will be a member of the Texas Legends this season.

The Dallas Mavericks signed a Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) superstar this offseason in Ding Yanyuhang.  The 25-year-old wing is a four-time CBA All-Star and twice won the CBA Domestic MVP.  Dallas was excited about the addition this summer.

Yanyuhang played for his National Team in August in route to winning a gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games.  He started every game in the tournament and was an important piece for the team.

At some point, there or shortly after, Ding developed some knee soreness that has limited his time with the Dallas Mavericks significantly.  He missed the first preseason game and was not expected to play in China either.  After sitting out game one, Yanyuhang practiced for the first time on Oct. 7.

That was enough for Coach Carlisle to give Ding an opportunity the next night against the Sixers.  He entered to a loud ovation in the fourth quarter and played eight minutes.  Yanyuhang scored just one point but helped the Mavericks to a 115-112 victory.

After the game, Carlisle noted that Ding would play for the Texas Legends in the G-League this season.

Waived by Mavs

Fans knew Ding Yanyuhang would be waived by the Dallas Mavericks at some point, but they were not sure when.  The team could have kept him around for their final preseason game.  That did not happen, though.  Marc Stein (https://twitter.com/TheSteinLine) of the New York Times broke the news in the Tweet below.

Texas Legends could contend

Judging by Ding’s credentials, he could be a standout in the G-League this season.  The Texas Legends also figure to feature Kostas Antetokounmpo, Daryl Macon, and Ray Spalding at points this year.  Add in NBA veterans like recent signee Rashad Vaughn, and they could be in contention for the G-League championship this season.

The Legends kick off their season on Nov. 3.  Keep an eye on how their roster is shaping up in the final weeks before the regular season begins.  It could be a special year in both Dallas and Frisco.  Fans cannot wait.