WILL the PBA green light what have turned out to be controversial trades involving sister teams TNT and NLEX and Blackwater?
The pro league has yet to approve or thumb down the deal that will have the Tropang Giga sending big man Troy Rosario and backup wingman Gab Banal to the Road Warriors for ace sophomore Calvin Oftana.
NLEX will then ship Rosario and Banal to the Bossing for Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser and Paul Desiderio.
TNT will also get burly center Raul Soyud in the three-team trade awaiting the approval of Commissioner Willie Marcial. While the PBA drags its feet on the proposed deals, it riled armchair pundits and fans and stoked persistent rumors that Blackwater is serving as a “farm team” of the MVP group.
Another issue that has to be answered is the rule prohibiting the trade of the first pick overall that the PBA board of governors unanimously approved in 2019.
Ganuelas-Rosser was the first overall pick in the last draft. He averaged 11.1 points and 3.5 rebounds per game for the Dioceldo Sy-owned ballclub.
The ruling was an offshoot of the controversial 2017 trade where Kia (now Terrafirma) gave up its top pick to San Miguel Beer that tuned to be Christian Standhardinger in exchange for seldom-used players Ronald Tubid, Jay-R Reyes, Rashawn McCarthy, and a first-round selection.
Apparently, that ruling was proposed in the board four years ago but was never finalized.
“I’ll reserve my comments pending PBA approval,” Tropang Giga coach Chot Reyes said in a short reply to Malaya-Business Insight.
The 6-foot-5 Oftana averaged 17.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.6 steals per game last conference after he was tabbed third overall in the draft two years ago by the Road Warriors.
If the deal is approved, Oftana, a former NCAA MVP with San Beda University and now a member of the Gilas Pilipinas national team training pool, will team up with reigning Rookie of the Year and gunner Mikey Williams.
The Road Warriors, then under coach Yeng Guiao, planned to select Williams with its fourth pick after landing Oftana but management opted to trade the pick to TNT.
Hobbled by an assortment of injuries, the 6-foot-7 Rosario was good for 10.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game for the Tropang Giga in the import-less tourney.
If and when the transactions get the nod, Rosario will finally suit up for the Bossing, the squad that took him second overall in 2015.
Desiderio is out for the year due to an ACL tear. He was selected as the fourth overall pick by NLEX in 2018 before he was dealt to Blackwater.
