On May 12, Beijing time, the CBA playoffs saw Guangdong suffer a 73-88 defeat against Beijing, losing the series 1-2 and failing to advance to the semifinals.
This marks the end of Guangdong’s 2025-26 season.
The late-season addition of import center Rakecevic proved underwhelming, as he averaged just 3.8 points and 2.8 rebounds in 8.7 minutes per game over six playoff appearances, shooting 37% from the field.
His only standout performance came in Game 2 against Guangzhou, when he posted 10 points and 9 rebounds while playing alongside another big man. After that, he rarely saw significant playing time. In the decisive Game 3 loss to Beijing, Rakecevic logged just eight minutes, scoring six points and grabbing three rebounds.
The decision to sign Rakecevic so late in the season raised questions. If the plan was simply to have him soak up a few minutes, then local player Jiao Boqiao could have served a similar role, even if prone to quick fouls.
General manager Zhu Fangyu’s import recruitment strategy over the entire season ultimately ended with only Rakecevic, a major factor in the team’s failure to meet expectations. With the season over, it appears unlikely that Rakecevic will be part of the roster next year. The investment simply did not deliver the results fans had hoped for.