James Yap will now suit up for Rain or Shine. In his place, Paul Lee will next season play alongside longtime Yap partner, Marc Pingris, with the Star Hotshots.
Sources confirmed the mega-deal yesterday, along with the reported coaching change in the former Purefoods team.
Former Mahindra assistant coach Chito Victolero will now call the shots in lieu of Jason Webb, who nonetheless will stay on the Hotshots bench.
According to reports, Lee declined a three-year offer from Rain or Shine, who earlier lost coach Yeng Guiao to NLEX while sending forward JR Quiñahan to Globalport for Jay Washington.
His move to ROS will reunite Yap with the team he played for in the defunct Philippine Basketball League.
ROS executives and Quiñahan have already discussed a contract extension but sources said the team is only willing to sign the 6-foot-6 center to a one-year deal instead of the two-year contract the Cebu native was asking for.
Quiñahan refused to sign and asked instead to be traded.
The deal to Globalport ended the ‘Extra Rice Inc.” of ROS that had Quinahan forming a frontline with fellow burly center Beau Belga, two heavyweight centers who helped the team win two championships – the second this season’s Commissioner’s Cup.
Belga is set to meet with ROS co-owner Raymond Yu on Monday as the Painters offered a three-year maximum deal of more than R15 million. Quiñahan is likewise expected to sign a max deal with Globalport.
Quiñahan, who is entering his 10th season, will be playing for his fifth team after stints with Alaska, Air21, Burger King and TNT KaTropa.