Chinese star center Zhou Qi is able to join any CBA team other than the Xinjiang Flying Tigers after the Flying Tigers were punished by the country's basketball association for violations of rules, Xinhua News Agency reported quoting an association staff member on Friday.

The association's Disciplinary and Ethics Commission investigated into the Flying Tigers' operations and confirmed that the team failed to obey the rules on a series of fronts including coach and working staff employment as well as player salary disbursement.

As a result, the Flying Tigers are banned from registering new players or get involved in any trade for a year. That means the team has lost their exclusive signing right with Zhou, according to the association staff member that Xinhua talked to.

That exclusive signing right is what has kept Zhou from playing in the CBA since 2021. His contract with the team came due that year, but as long as the Flying Tigers offer him a maximum contract, according to the CBA rules, he could only sign with the Flying Tigers unless they agree to let him go.

Zhou refused to sign with the Flying Tigers and then played one and a half seasons for the Southeast Melbourne Phoenix in Australia's National Basketball League . He performed well in that league, but Zhou didn't stay after the last season.

As one of the most successful players from the Liaoning Flying Leopards' youth system, Zhou expressed interest in joining that team. The Flying Leopards won the CBA championships last season, but they need a star big man like Zhou to dominate the paint on both offense and defense.

However, Zhou is unlikely to join any CBA team this season because he missed the registration window. Titan Sports talked to the association and was told that "theoretically" Zhou won't be able to play in the CBA this season.

The CBA will enter the third phase of the 2022-23 season from March 1 and allow teams to play at home instead of competing together in designated cities.