BY JEREMIAH SEVILLA
A series of offseason moves is expected to unfold as the PBA lifted the trade suspension on Monday, three months before the target opening of the 46th season.
The league put the trade transactions on hold a few weeks prior to the tipoff of the 45th Philippine Cup under a bubble setup in Clark, Pampanga.
Now that the trade market is open once again, the 12 teams are expected to beef up their respective rosters for the upcoming season especially with San Miguel star June Mar Fajardo’s return becoming more and more possible.
One of the loudest rumors involve Terrafirma’s top gunner CJ Perez. The Manila Bulletin-Tempo tried to reach out to the Dyip’s head coach Johnedel Cardel regarding the speculation but has yet to get a response as of press time.
Also getting dragged into the trade talks is Barangay Ginebra big man Greg Slaughter for NorthPort center Christian Standhardinger. But this is likely not going to prosper.
Ginebra coach Tim Cone already said that he wants to have Slaughter back as they try to defend their all-Filipino crown.
Slaughter recently made an apology to the management particularly to San Miguel Corporation chief Ramon S. Ang and sports director Alfrancis Chua for any “misunderstanding” caused by his decision to take a sabbatical following the expiration of his contract last January.
The seven-foot center also expressed his desire to suit up again for the Kings, who won the Philippine Cup against TNT just last month, but Chua said he has yet to settle things with the four-time PBA champion.
“You know, we’re hoping to get Greg back. I think that would be huge for us,” said Cone shortly after the Kings captured their first Philippine Cup championship in 13 years and the American tactician extended his league record to 23 titles.
Usually, though, big trades take place during and after the rookie draft ceremony.
This year, the PBA Rookie Draft is set on March 14, with the country’s top 3×3 players Joshua Munzon, Alvin Pasaol and Santi Santillan already signifying their intention to enter the league along with former Alab cagers Jason Brickman, Jordan Heading and Andrei Caracut.
