The plot has thickened in the PBA’s special draft for members of the Gilas Pilipinas pool after sister teams Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and Star reportedly agreed to trade their respective picks.
A source said that Jio Jalalon, reportedly picked by Star, will be sent to Barangay Ginebra San Miguel for Kevin Ferrer, a move which was approved by the board during their seven-hour meeting last Thursday.
The same source said that the announcement will likely to happen in tomorrow’s PBA Rookie Draft at the Robinson’s Place in Ermita, Manila.
The transaction made by the San Miguel Corporation franchises is intriguing since league rules prohibit sister teams from direct trades, unless a third party or a conduit is involved.
Also intriguing was the earlier decision to allow PBA to pick one player from Gilas with the agreement that no player will be traded within a two-year period.
The reported trade came a day after the board announced that Gilas players were selected in a pre-determined order and will be announced tomorrow via alphabetical order.
Mac Belo, the 6-foot-4 forward from Far Eastern University in the UAAP and Phoenix of the PBA D-League, is the only player that can’t be traded. He was reportedly picked by Blackwater.
Matthew Wright is set to go to Phoenix under Ariel Vanguardia, his coach when he helped the Westports Malaysia Dragons win the ASEAN Basketball League title. Russell Escoto is heading to Mahindra, Arnold Van Opstal to San Miguel Beer, Ed Daquioag to NLEX, Mike Tolomia to Rain or Shine and Roger Pogoy to Meralco.