Mayo could play for Liaoning this season: club source

BEIJING, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) side Liaoning Flying Leopards could activate American player O.J. Mayo "in due time" after the league restarts, club sources revealed on Sunday.

With Liaoning's Lance Stephenson unable return to China due to current restrictions on international travel, Liaoning applied for Mayo's substitution for Stephenson, which was approved by the CBA on June 4, with the league set to resume on June 20.

Sources from the Flying Leopards told local media that the team would choose to play with an all-domestic roster after the CBA's restart, while activating Mayo in due time this season as long as the CBA approves.

"Mayo has been training with the team for over two months. Although he has played few high-level competitions in recent years, he still boasts the fundamentals. We expect him to help the team in clutch time. It's also a test for him. If he performs well, we would extend his contract next season," the source noted.

Mayo, 32, played in several overseas leagues following an eight-year stint in the NBA, including for China's National Basketball League side Hunan.

Liaoning ranked third of 20 teams in the 2019/20 CBA before the league was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic with 30 rounds of matches having been played.

Liaoning will take on the Beijing Ducks in their first match after the league's resumption. Enditem