PBA Trades to be Handled by a 5-Man Team

The new PBA commissioner will no longer decide if a trade is to be approved or not. (Photo by the PBA Media Bureau)

Approving or disapproving trades no longer in the hands of the commissioner.

Over the past few seasons, the PBA has seen numerous trades that were either controversial and/or one-sided and yet, the league approved these deals despite questions being voiced out by member teams. That was most visible when then PBA Commissioner Chito Narvas approved the deal that sent the Kia Picanto’s rights to pick the top pick to the  San Miguel Beermen in exchange for role players. This season’s top pick happened to be the Filipino-German and Gilas Pilipinas big man, Christain Standhardinger. That deal was approved despite nagging calls for Narvasa to veto it owing to the belief that it could take away the very reason why the draft was being held on an annual basis. 

You all witnessed what happened next. Chito Narvasa is gone for good and OIC Willie Marcial is taking over temporarily until such time when the league has appointed its next commissioner. To begin with, Mr. Marcial has tons of things to sort out but one of the things he first did upon his first few days as the OIC is to assemble a 5-man special team that will have one specific mission: go through all the future trades to see if these trades should be approved or not.

What this could mean?

To simply things out, approving trades will no longer be included in the burdens of the PBA commissioner, saving him/her from the accusations of being biased. Although Mr. Marcial refused to name the members of the team pending the approval of the board, he did say that the 5-men team will have to reach a consensus and if they failed to do, the house will be divided.

In addition to this, there’s a proposal for the league to identify an elite player from each team. In this proposal, any PBA player who is identified as an elite player can only be traded to an elite player- eliminating the possibilities of lopsided deals like the famed Kia-San Miguel deal. 

Conclusion

The proposal of a 5-man team who will handle the approval of trades could bring back the trust of the fans towards the PBA because the banging of the gavel is no longer in the hands of the commissioner, alone. It’s now up to the league to assemble a team of 5 trust-worthy and independent men who will look at no team when making decisions. 

A Wheeler’s Opinion: Was It Right for TNT to Call Chito Narvasa "Biased" for Standhardinger Saga?

Here’s why it’s right and not

PBA Commissioner Chito Narvasa was called “biased” by the KaTropa management in a statement. (Photo by the PBA Media Bureau)

Even though he has yet to play a single second in the PBA and won’t play until he completes his stint in the Asian Basketball League, Christian Standhardinger, the top pick in last night’s 2017 PBA Rookie Draft, has become the hottest topic over the last few weeks. 

To begin with, he was one of the last applicants to submit his application for the draft. He then missed the Draft Combine where he could have showcased why he is indeed, the most sought-after rookie which almost caused him to be disqualified from joining the draft. 

But perhaps, nothing could have made Standhardinger as the most talked-about rookie than the trade involving the Kia Picanto sending the rights to pick Standhardinger to the San Miguel Beermen for bench warmers, future draft picks and cash. Due to the lopsidedness of the said deal, many were puzzled land were asking the same question: “What is wrong with Kia?”

Despite concerns from other PBA teams, the good PBA Commissioner Chito Narvasa approved the trade anyway and Christian Standhardinger walked out of Robinson’s Place Manila with a Beermen jacket. 

Just when everyone thought that the Stanhardinger Saga could be finally buried, nope. 

Apparently, the Beermen wasn’t the only team who was trying to trade for the number one pick. 

As it turned out, the Beermen just beat the Talk N Text KaTropa to the rights of picking Stanhardinger and incidentally, the KaTropa through an official statement released to the public, questioned the statement made by Commissioner Narvasa just a few hours prior to the Game 7 of the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals, saying that it was TNT’s team official, Magnum Membrere who initially submitted Standhardinger’s application to join the draft.

Apparently, the statement made by the good commissioner, according to TNT’s statement, proved that Commissioner Narvasa was biased. Talk N Text also mentioned that Narvasa mentioning the name of their team official was meant to help him explain, justify his decision to eventually approved the widely-questionable deal between SMB and Kia.

Was it even fair to call the good Commissioner Chito Narvasa “biased” for his statement? Let’s take a look at the points:

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TNT has a point

Simply put it this way, folks:

• Standhardinger submitted his application through a proxy.
• He was allowed to miss the Draft Combine regardless of the validity of the excuse. 

With all due respect to the good commissioner of the PBA, what he just allowed to happen, was a show of disrespect not just to TNT or the other teams but, to the rest of the PBA. It can send the wrong message to future draft aspirants that they can do such things in the PBA and they can walk away from them. 

It’s simply unacceptable. It’s also questioning the priorities of Standhardinger who has an upcoming stint in the ABL which is the main reason why the Beermeen can’t utilize him for the big chunk of next season. 

No. It’s Totally Disrespectful

To call Commissioner Chito Narvasa “biased” is to question the integrity of the entire institution that Mr. Narvasa is representing. 

With all due respect to the officials, players and fans of the KaTropa, there was no need for such a statement. Sure, Chito Narvasa was in Lebanon to support the Smart Gilas Pilipinas during the 2017 FIBA Asia Cup and invited Standhardinger to join the draft. Would it be nice for Narvasa to offer a little flexibility with regards to the rules to a player who contributed a big amount of effort during that tournament and the ensuing 2017 South East Asian Games where Gilas dominated, anew? 

Sure, Standhardinger’s not applying on his own and missing the Draft Combine, sends the wrong message but Chito Narvasa is only doing what he could to help Stndhardinger get into the big league. After all, once Stanhardinger suits up and teams up with 4-time MVP award winner, June Mar Fajardo, we can expect bigger crowd during the games of the Beermen. 

Conclusion

The Standhardinger Saga is not yet done and is far from over. One thing is certain, we can expect a statement from the good PBA commissioner and TNT should watch out because Chito Narvasa loves to hand down hefty fines to teams, players and coaches who say disrespectful things towards the PBA, in general. 

Is it going to be a battle of guards? or battle of bigmen? PBA Season 42 Analysis

After the trimming and building of each PBA teams making the most out of the PBA off-season in trying to showcase a strong line up, we are left clueless of the way this upcoming season is going to be.

As each team wanting to get their line ups filled with new faces considering the size and talent after different star player switches and key player trades, it is going to be an anticipated All Filipino Cup again. After the 41st season’s governors’ cup, every one woke up in a surpise after hearing about a report that involves Star Hotshots’ Star player and the former MVP Paul Lee of the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters. This might be considered as the biggest blockbuster trade in this generation as Star Hotshots acquired the rights to Paul Lee and RoS to James Yap.

This was just one of those trades that happened, after a successful campaign in the Governors’ Cup, the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel the previous conference’s champion traded their back ups such as Nico Salva, Dennice Villamor and Franklin Bonifacio. Just when everyone’s expecting for an intact core for this ballclub after a championship they eventually released some of their players due to an overcrowded roster after drafting 3 more bigmen in the latest PBA Rookie Draft. Ginebra picked Kevin Ferrer a University of Sto. Tomas cager and a gilas cadet. They also acquired the rights to sign Jam Jamito of St. Claire college and their former practice player Jericho De Guzman.

San Miguel Beermen also acquired another bigman Van Opstal as a backup of Junmar Fajardo who has a potential to be a threat inside the paint. The beermen then released Gary David from their roster after having some difficulties meeting it’s salary cap and also because of multiple players with the same position as David.

There are lots of trades that involved guards and centers and it’s too many to mention but is this season going to be a battle of fronliners? or a backcourt competition?

Based on what each teams are trying to achieve, San Miguel Beermen’s Junmar Fajardo has been the benchmark. Trying to match up this former MVP is the goal of every team in this conference as they will not have any reinforcement until the 2nd and 3rd conference. Play making is one of the key factors to consider too but the focal point of this new season is building a strong frontline roster for each team to be able to overcome and surpass what Fajardo is producing. With the addition Arnold Van Opstal in the Beermen’s frontcourt, it will be hard for any teams to battle inside the paint.

Well for me? It’s going to be a battle of the goliaths. Having a very skill and size filled rookie class, it will certainly be a matter of who will dominate the paint than who can make plays in the back court.

Rain or Shine overhauls team roster, parted ways with Guiao, Lee and Quiñahan.

After Yeng Guiao’s transfer from Rain or Shine to NLEX Road Warriors, the Rain or Shine management swiftly shuffled their team roster.

JR Quiñahan, one of the “extra rice” duo has found his way to the Globalport Batang Pier a few days after Guiao’s reported take over of the MVP franchise team NLEX. Quiñahan has been one of the inside and outside threat of Rain or Shine will now bring his arsenal to his new team Globalport that will be an additional offensive option for this ball club and will be an additional help on the Globalport’s frontline toughness. On the other hand Jay Washington who has been one of the perimeter threats of Globalport will now try to crack a spot in the first or second stringer to help out Romeo and Pringle.

Another developing story that was first reported by Spin.ph is the trade of the two All Star members James Yap and Paul Lee.Though it is not on the papers yet and we are yet to get a confirmation about it, this could be one of the biggest exchange of players in this season and the coming off season. James Yap has been one of the Star Hotshots weapon inside and outside of the paint and if this Star makes his way to Rain or Shine, he will be a good addition to their off guard line up together with Jeff Chan and Gabe Norwood. Paul Lee as an exchange for Yap, if the trade has been confirmed will be joining RR Garcia and Barroca in the play maker lineup of the Star Hotshots. Being one of the dedliest shooter in the league with an excellent skill in transition play execution we will expect this franchise to be a complex run and gun with outside threat in the next season.