By JONAS TERRADO
The PBA has given teams the option to extend the contracts of impending free agents until Dec. 31 in order to help ease the burden of those affected by the ongoing stoppage of the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial said the measure was approved during Saturday’s board meeting, but explained that it will be up for the teams to decide which players can be given an extension.
“Swerte yung mga players (na ma-eextend) kasi may PBA man o wala, yung sweldo nila hanggang Dec. 31,” Marcial said during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum held through Zoom video conference.
Several players have live contracts until Aug. 31, and some expressed concern if the current pandemic will affect them in terms of making a living.
Among the prominent names on the list of free agents are San Miguel Beer’s Arwind Santos and Alex Cabagnot and Alaska’s Jeron Teng.
Other players with expiring contracts are Blackwater’s Carl Bryan Cruz, NorthPort’s Paolo Taha, Meralco’s John Pinto and Nico Salva and Phoenix Super LPG’s Dave Marcelo and Jake Pascual.
Marcial said teams have to submit a list of players they will extend until the end of the year. Those who won’t be given new pacts will automatically become free agents.
The PBA chief also clarified that other transactions such as trades are still suspended ahead of the planned return of practices next week.
Marcial said the league is finalizing the schedule as when the teams can undergo swab tests which will be facilitated under the laboratories of San Miguel Corporation.
The league has been allowed by the Inter-Agency Task Force to resume practices under strict health guidelines, but will have to first take the swabbing procedure as part of the measures.
The board agreed to change the PBA’s testing requirements after the initial plan of rapid-swab-rapid protocols every 10 days.
“Kailangan ma-test muna lahat para masimulan na ang practice,” said Marcial, whose target date for the resumption of practices is on July 22.
Marcial also plans to send a letter to the IATF for the possibility of holding team scrimmages next month.
