Sources privy to the deal reveal the 28-year-old Al-Hussaini is set to be traded from his current team Meralco to the NLEX Road Warriors that would give him an opportunity to play once again under coach Yeng Guiao who is also concurrently the team’s General Manager.
Guiao, then coach of the now-defunct Air 21 Express, picked Al-Hussanni second overall in the 2010 PBA Rookie Draft where the former Ateneo standout played his best season after averaging 14.2 points and 6.9 rebounds per game on his way to being named Rookie of the Year.
Al-Hussaini’s rookie year however saw him playing for two teams after he was traded by Air21 to Petron midway through that season.
Hussaini’s performance took a dip the next four seasons as he could only tally no more than six points per game in playing for Powerade, GlobalPort, Talk ‘N Text and Meralco. He also had to deal with an ACL injury during his sophomore year.
To make the deal work, Blackwater will initially deal their 2018 second round pick to Meralco for Al-Hussaini. The Elite will then send Al-Hussaini to NLEX for the Road Warriors’ 2017 second round pick.
The papers have already reached the office of league commissioner Chito Narvasa for approval.
Al-Hussaini’s arrival could fill the void vacated by Enrico Villanueva who is out with a knee injury since last conference.
Also troubling NLEX, which sports a 0-3 record in the ongoing Commissioner’s Cup, is the absence of the team’s most consistent player during the Philippine Cup Sean Anthony who missed their game last Sunday against Mahindra also due to a knee injury.
NLEX will next face the unbeaten Star Hotshots this Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. (Dennis G. Principe)