Paul Lee is scheduled to sign a fresh three-year contract worth P15.1 million with Rain or Shine today, formalizing his return to the Elasto Painters’ fold following weeks of uncertainty.
Lee, the Rookie of the Year in 2011, said that he hopes to re-establish his relationship with RoS coach Yeng Guiao, and franchise owners Raymond Yu and Terry Que.
“Si coach na rin ang nagsabi na maiba-balik naman sa ayos ang lahat once na maayos na, especially yung pag-pirma ko. Happy ako na tapos na ‘to,” said Lee when contacted by TEMPO yesterday.
Lawrence Chongson, his former coach at University of the East, will accompany him in the contract signing at the company’s office in Pasig City.
The 25-year-old Lee, who will leave for South Korea tomorrow with Gilas Pilipinas for the Incheon Asian Games, is expected to sign the team’s three-year maximum offer, giving him a monthly salary of P420,000.
Last month, Lee expressed his desire to be traded even before the expiration of his previous three-year contract which ended August 31.
However, Lee’s stance softened and he eventually had a change of heart after twice talking to Guiao in an overseas call from Spain where the national team played in the just-concluded FIBA World Cup.
Guiao later revealed that Lee told him that he would stay with RoS, and that was reiterated when the two finally met last Wednesday at the team’s training facility at the Northeast Greenhills gym in San Juan.
Despite what happened, which most basketball observers perceived as a messy contract dispute, Lee said he had no regrets with how things transpired, knowing it’s just part of the business.
For Lee, what is important is that he made a decision and he is happy with it.
“Minsan siguro bilang player pagdadaanan mo yung ganun e, kasi part siya ng business. Ang maganda lang, na-experience ko ‘to habang bata pa ako, so next time alam ko na and pwede ko din i-share sa ibang teammates ko na mas bata kung sakaling maharap sila sa ganitong klaseng sitwasyon,” he said.
With the contract issue behind him, Lee said his focus now is to help Gilas achieve its goal in the Asian Games, and that is to win the gold medal.
“Ito naman talaga yung goal ng team. Madami nang napag-daanan yung team, mula noon pang FIBA Asia and then sa FIBA World Cup. Kaya ibibigay namin lahat para sa Pilipinas, para mapanalunan natin yung gintong medalya,” said Lee.