PBA Insider News

The news making the rounds is the PBA rejected a trade. No teams or players are officially known, but insiders say they are Alaska and Phoenix. It is not clear which players are involved. If Phoenix is involved, the most likely names are Matthew Wright, Jason Perkins and Justin Chua. For Alaska you have Taylor Brown, Abu Tratter, Jeron Teng and Gab Banal. If Wright is involved, big name players from Alaska will no doubt be included. With Chua it could be in exchange for a big man too. However it is not clear why the PBA rejected the trade. Even though it was, that does not mean the trade cannot push through. Recall the Poy Erram trade to TNT which underwent several revisions before being approved. Alaska and Phoenix will have to do the same to get this deal done. The question is, who could the players be? Who initiated the trade? If it was phoenix, could they really be offering Wright? But for whom?  One would think that if Wright was on the trading block, other teams from the SMC ...

Greg Slaughter is the one most often mentioned in trades involving Magnolia. But there are also reports that if Greg ends up in SMB instead - as the team also wants him - the Hotshots might look at James Laput of Terrafirma or Troy Rike of Northport. Troy Rike has shown flahshes of brilliance, including one game where he shot six threes. He is an inside outside operator, a big man who can post and shoot threes.  Since coach Victolero likes to play stretch 4s, Rike will fit in well. He will be an added threat to their lineup. Another option is James Laput. He is 6'10" and will give Magnolia the inside presence they need. He does not have an outside shot like Rike, but he is a more solid defender and inside presence. His footwork is also good. In truth Magnolia can have either of them if SMC really wants it, given the history of Northport and Terrafirma. But which should Magnolia choose? It will come down to how the team performs and who they can get in the next draft. And also ...

Ginebra is one of the most powerful teams in the PBA, but that does not mean management is resting on its laurels. In fact there are four Gin kings said to be on the trading block. The first one is Kent Salado. he never got playing time in his rookie year and still has not this Philippine Cup. That is unlikely to change with the arrival of free agent pick up MJ Ayaay and rookie Brian Enriquez. From all indications, Salado will b traded eventually. The next is Raymond Aguilar. He has been with the Gin kings for a while now. But he has never been more than a bench player. And with so many wingmen and bigs for Ginebra, he is unlikely to get playing time. Then there is Art Dela Cruz. He is reportedly going to be activated, but who knows how long he will play? Dela Cruz is a good player, but he is always injured. Ginebra might be better off just getting another player as that roster spot is being occupied by someone who cannot play. And if Art is healthy, he can command a good price at the ...

With Aljon Mariano coming back, the chances of Arvin Tolentino getting more playing time has gone down. So it is not surprising that his name is coming up in trade talks. The question is, which teams will Arvin fit in? There are a number we can think of. One is Alaska. The Aces need an outside shooter to complement the game of Abu Tratter, Taha and Ebona when he comes back. DiGregorio cannot do it alone and Ahanmisi has been inconsistent. With Arvin, coach Cariaso will have a player that can fill up that spot. Another is Phoenix. Imagine having Arvin Tolentino and Matthew Wright together as your wings. Arvin can take the place of JC Intal who retired, and it gives coach Topex another option when Wright is double teamed. Then there are TerraFirma and Blackwater. These two teams are always in need of a scorer, and Arvin can fit the bill. Look at Rasshawn McCarthy who showed hi worth when he got playing time. The same thing will happen with Arvin. And with Tolentino not getting enough min...

If you have been watching Northport games, you will notice that Kevin Ferrer is not playing. The official reason is that he is injured. But another possibility is that he will be traded and Northport doesn't want to use him so he does not get injured. Could he end up back in Ginebra? Ferrer has been subject of trade rumors in the past. Most recent i that there will be a straight trade between Ferrer and Jio jalalon of Magnolia. But that looks to be on hold because Jalalon might end up in a trade package for Greg Slaughter or James Laput and Roosevelt Adams.  But other teams might be interested in Ferrer, and that includes Ginebra. He used to play there and was used extensively by coach Cone before being included in the Pringle trade. Since Arvin Tolentino is not getting any playing time, why not trade him straight up for Ferrer? Or Ginebra can trade Art Dela Cruz, Raymond Agular and maybe Jeff Chan for Ferrer. Or they can add rookie Ken Sagulo. Ether way, there are a lot of options...

Don't look now, but Alaska and Rain or Shine might pull off a huge trade involving Rey Nambatac.  Reports say the Aces are determined to land the guard, but it will depend on the offer they get in return. We know that past superstars on ROS like Jeff Chan, Paul Lee and Raymond Almazan have gone to either the SMC or MVP camp. But now it looks like Alaska wants a piece of the action. The previous rumor said that there was going to b a Racal for Nambatac trade. Obviously that is too one sided in favor of Alaska so it did not push through. If the Aces really want Nambatac, they have to give up someone from their starting five or regular rotation, like Mike DiGregorio or Ahanmisi. In the end it will come down to how the negotiations go. Taylor Browne was supposed to be their new shooter, but this rookie has not even played. In fact he is in the reserve list. If Alaska does get Nambatac, it will be a huge boost to the Aces. They need an outside shooter and he fits the bill. So it comes d...

There is now a big four team trade involving SMB, Magnolia, TerraFirma and Northport. According to reports, SMB gets Greg Slaughter, Magnolia James Laput and Roosevelt Adams, TerraFirma Alfonso Gotladera, James Sena, Bambam Gamalinda and SMB picks, and Northport Jio Jalalon, Justin Melton, Kyle Pascual and a 1st round pick. It is well known in PBA circles that both SMB and Magnolia are vying for the services of Greg Slaughter. Now the solution seems to be to give Magnolia another big man. Laput is 6'10" and has shown a lot of promise for Dyip. He has good footwork and can learn a lot under Victolero. Adams is a walking mismatch who can play different positions. As for SMB, if they get Slaughter they will have the biggest frontcourt in the league. Imagine Tautuaa, Fajardo and Slaughter in one team. This also means Mo can move to power forward and play outside while Greg and Junmar alternate at center. Magnolia and SMB will win this trade if it happens. TerraFirma and Northport ...

There are many teams that will definitely want to take a chance on Ginebra's two rookies, Brian Enriquez and Ken Sagulo. Jerrick Balanza, the former Ginebra rookie, was traded by the Kings to Northport for a 2nd round pick, and he is now playing well for coach Jarencio. So many feel the same thing can happen with Enriquez and Sagulo. Sagulo is 6'8". Even if his game is still raw, there are lots of potential there, and all he needs is playing time. The problem is Ginebra's frontcourt is so stacked there is not much option for him. Same with Enriquez, he is a 6'3" guy who can play multiple positions but is now stuck in the bench.  If those guys will be traded to teams that will give them playing time, we will see their true skills. But that is the problem Ginebra is facing now. They know what happened with Balanza. Will they risk it again? If Ginebra does trade their rookies, they won't get a lot in return since they have very low trade value. But they also ...

He has only played two games for Northport, but there are now rumors Greg Slaughter is  already requesting a trade to n SMC team, which is either Magnolia or SMB. The team that appears to have the inside track for Greg is Magnolia. Jio Jalalon is one of the players involved as well as Jackson Corpuz. The latest word is that Victolero does not want to include Corpuz though, and will add a 1st round pick instead. However there seems to be a complication. According to Snow Badua, from whom the report came, SMB has also expressed interest in getting Greg. Thisis surprising because management was said to be happy with Fajardo and Tautuaa. But now it looks like they want Greg too. it could be that SMB wants Tautuaa to be the power forward and have Greg and Fajardo at center.  But then there is Magnolia which also wants the big man to pair with Ian Sangalang. What is clear is that Greg will be traded, so we just have to see what the PBA trade committee will do about this.

Although the Jio Jallon trade rumors have quieted down, that does not mean management is content. In fact, reports say Magnolia still wants to send Jalalon off at the earliest possible moment. Management apparently was willing to let slide Jalalon's personal issues. But the ligang labas was probably the final straw since it was the second  time it had happened. Jio plays a vital role in Magnolia and commands a good price, notwithstanding his somewhat tarnished reputation. So where will he go? The most likely option is Northport, and the Jalalon for Ferrer trade could still happen. Magnolia can use Ferrer's outside shooting and defense, and Jio would give Bolick the backup playmaker Northport needs. But this will need the imprimatur of coach Chito Victolero. Right now, coach Chito is still wary of tinkering with the Hotshots, as they are 4-0. If they take out Jio and add Ferrer or Slaughter, it will definitely change the chemistry of the team. For this reason, the Jalalon trade ...

This will come as no surprise to any astute observer of the PBA, but it is sad nevertheless. Northport Batang Pier is now reportedly willing to trade its players. Northport has a lot of promising and high value players. Greg Slaughter, Jamie Malonzo, Troy Rike, Kevin Ferrer, Robert Bolick, Sean Anthony and more. And together they make for a very formidable team. They just lost by buzzer beaters to powerhouses SMB and Gnebra. So it is unfortunate that they will trade these players away. So who are the biggest names? Greg Slaughter obviously is the biggest name here. He is playing very well and will command a high price. Most likely he will go to Magnolia though SMB is also a possibility. Robert Bolick is according to reports, almost certain to end up at SMB to replace Ross and/or Cabagnot. A Bolick/Perez/Romeo tandem will be awesome. Kevin Ferrer will probably be traded for Jio Jalalon. Though things have simmered down, management still wants to get rid of Jio. Sean Anthony is another g...

The reports that Ginebra wants Matthew Wright is not surprising. A lot of teams are trying to trade for Wright for obvious reasons, he is one of, if not the best shooter in the league. Part of the reason the trade rumors persist is that Matthew Wright is said to be uhappy with Phoenix for many reasons. And one of them is the trading of Calvin Abueva. Recall that Phoenix made the semis last Philippine Cup before losng to TNT in five games. And then shockingly Phoenix traded him for Chris Banchero. The reason for the trade has never been clear, but Wright is said to not like it. And we can see the impact Abueva is having with Magnolia. The other thing is the uncertainy over Phoenix itself. To this day, businessman Dennis Uy is looking for investors to pump money in the company, as it has been bleeding heavily.  If investors do come in, they may ask Phoenix to cut down on costs, and htat could affect the team. Of course this has an effect on the players. While Wright is still playing ...

With Aljon Mariano comnig back from injury, Ginebra needs to let one player go. And if Mark Caguioa is placed on active status, another player has to be traded as well. Reports persist that Ginebra wants Rashwan McCarthy. If true, that means they have to release fil-foreigner so they do not go over the five per team limit. What all of this means is Ginebra is going to make big changes to its lineup. Who will remain and who will be left out? Right now we can make some good guesses. Raymond Aguilar, Kent Salado and Art Dela Cruz are likely to be traded. But there are also reports jef Chan, Jared Dillinger and Ken Sagulo will be traded too. It all depends on what coach Tim Cone wants and how the team performs. A lot of these will also depend on the performance of Ginebra. If they fail to defend the championship or eliminated early, then expect a revamp. We also have to consider that other teams are getting stronger. So Ginebra will want to make sure that they are in step with SMB, Magnoli...

Even though the PBA is currently on hiatus, that has not stopped trade talks from circulating. The one people are talking about now invovles sending SMB guard Alex Cabagnot to TerraFirma. Just to be clear, this trade cannot include Joshua Munzon. As he number one pick he cannot be traded until after one season. It is not yet clear if the PBA considers a one conference bubble a season. One thing is clear is that whenever SMB is mentioned in trades, the name of Cabagnot comes up. This is understandable. He is not getting any younger, and SMB's backcourt is already crowded. CJ and Romeo are the future guards of SMB. Pessumal and Zamar are trade chips, but not enough to land a 1st round pick. Ross is also mentioned, but given that he was just promoted team captain, is unlikely to be traded. Cabagnot can still play well, so he still has a high trade value. But who will SMB take in return? Terrafirma's first round pick? Roosevelt Adams? Or maybe work another team into the deal? Only ...

A tweet by Inside the PBA revealed that a lot of players are not happy with the way Marcial is handling the current season. And now the question arises, should he be replaced? When Marcial took over as commissioner, the PBA was reeling from the resignation of Narvasa after he approved the controversial Standhardinger trade to SMB. Marcial promised things would be different under his tenure, which is why he created the PBA trade committee to ensure parity. That never happened. We know that lopsided trades involving SMC and MVP teams are still happening with regularity. And farm teams like Blackwater, TerraFirma and Northport are still there. But that is not the only issue against Marcial. His handling of the season, which has been affected by the ECQ, is being criticized as indecisive. The ECQ is about to end and the PBA has still not resumed. Then there is the issue of Kiefer Ravena and other players wanting to go to Japan, and the Parks brouhaha.  All of these have left the impres...

Despite interest from many teams, Ginebra has no plans of trading backup big man Prince Caperal. At least for now. Ever since Gnebra got Standhardinger, everyone knew Caperal's minutes and touches would go down. And that is a disappointment given how good he was during the last PBA bubble. No wonder then that he is often the subject of various trade rumors. A lot of teams want him including Magnolia and others. But Ginebra coach Tim Cone does not want to trade him. According to reports, Cone wants to have 3 big men in his lineup so they have  a backup in case Standhardinger or Aguilar is injured. If they trade Caperal they will lose that edge, as Ken Sagulo is still too raw. That does not mean Caperal will never be traded. As any SMC observer knows, the team will not pass by any opportunity to make their teams stronger. If a good offer comes along, they will trade him. But this must have the approval of Coach Tim Cone. And for now, Caperal stays with Ginebra.

SMB is regarded as having one of the strongest lineups in the PBA, but that does not mean Alfrancis Chua and management are resting on their laurels.  SMB is likely to trade two players to get another top recruit or a draft pick. These players to be traded are Bambam Gamalinda and Wendell Comboy. Of the two Comboy does not get a lot of minutes, but he could show his wares if given opportunity, similar to what happened to Rashawn McCarthy in Phoenix.  The one that needs more urgent trading is Gamalnida. He is a small forward but is playing power forward in SMB, and you can tell he is having a difficult time against larger players. The two SMB backup bigs, Gotladera and Sena, are both centers and too slow against stretch 4s today. SMB has two options, trade Comboy and Gamalinda for a power forward or draft pick. They could for instance, get a power forward in the next draft. Assuming the top players do not all go to Japan,then SMB should be  able to find a good power forwar...

The latest buzz going around is that Magnolia wants Roosevelt Adams and James Laput of TerraFirma. And from all indications they will get the two. Adams has had his struggles, but he should fit nicly with Magnolia. He can be a stretch 4 which coach Victolero likes. He has also shown he can average double figures in rebounds which is great. Adams will definitely be an upgrade over the oft injured Rusell Escoto. Magnolia's original big man target is of course Greg Slaughter, but if they cannot get him, Laput is a good option. He is young and has shown a lot of potential for TerraFirma. If Magnolia gets both bigs, then Victolero will have a solid frontcourt. Both are young and tall, and they can fit well within the Hotshots system. The only question is SMB is also said to be interested in Adams. They also need a power forward as Gamalinda is playing out of position.  It remains to be seen which SMC teams Laput and Adams will go to, but they will end up there most likely. For now thoug...

The reports persist that coach Tim Cone of Ginebra is interested in getting Rashawn McCarthy from TerraFirma. But for whom? The initial offer from Ginebra was said to be Ken Salado and Art Dela Cruz. But that cannot be correct. If this trade pushes through, Ginebra would have six fil foreigners, above the limit of five per team. If the Gin Kings really want Rashawn, they have to let go of one of their fil foreigners, most likely Jared Dillinger or Ken Sagulo. Saludo has rarely played, but management is reportedly thinking twice about trading him. They are thinking of what happened to Jerrick Balanza, who was traded to Northport and is now doing well. What Ginebra can do is give Sagulo time to prove himself. Or they can put him in their 3x3 team instead. From there they can evaluate his performance and they should trade him or not. As good as Dillinger is, he is not getting younger. And a lot of what he does can be replicated by McCarthy, who is also younger. Of course Ginebra is not th...

The Phoenix Fuel Masters are said to be planning a major trade to shake up their roster. And they want to do it with the Alaska Aces. Phoenix has been unable to get going despite having Chris Banchero, Matthew Wright, Jason Perkins and Vic Manuel. Observers say there is no reason for a team of this caliber to be down at the bottom with Bblackwater and TerraFirma. Now management wants to see some improvements, and the best way to do that is to get a trade. They reportedly want to do it with the Alaska Aces since they feel they will get a better chance of getting a fair shake compared to SMC or the MVP group.  The question is, who are the players involved? Phoenix is the one that will initiate the trade, so who will they give up? It unlikely Manuel will return to Alaska, so scratch him off the list. Wright is the best player on their team, but will Phoenix give him up? Reports are they want to make the team stronger, and you don't do that by trading your best player. That leaves Perk...

TerraFirma reportedly wants Ginebra backup big man Prince Caperal. But it is unclear who they will give up in return, or if the Gin Kings will agree. Terrafirma has been battered by injuries, and having someone like Caperal can certainly help them. But is it a good idea for Ginebra to trade him? Caperal had a breakout last season and won most improved player. But his playing time has gone down with the arrival of Christian Standhardinger. Caperal would definitely get more playing time if he was at TerraFirma, a team that needs a big to pair up with James Laput. And if Caperal were to leave Ginebra, that could give more playing time for rookie Ken Sagulo, who has been languishing on the bench. Such a trade will benefit Caperal and Sagulo. Look at Troy Rike and James Laput. When given playing time, they have shown they can deliver the goods.  But it all depends on who Ginebra gets in return. It cannot be Rashawn McCarthy because they would pass the number of fil-foreigners allowed pe...

TNT is expected to undergo massive rebuilding if it does compete well in the Philippine Cup.  The team has been known as a perennial champion, but they have been struggling and losing out to their corporate rival. Since they are the flagship team, management expects them to win championships. TNT already made changes when they acquired a top player in Rayray Parks, but we all know that things turned sour and now they released Parks, who is rumored to play in Japan. TNT still has the dependable Jason Castro, but he cannot play forever. The team needs young blood which is why they got Mikey Williams. So far it is too early to say, but Williams is showing flashes of brilliance. But Mikey will not be enough. He will need help. But where will it come from? Trades and draft picks most likely. The biggest trade assets of TNT are Castro and Troy Rosario. Troy has been the subject of a lot of trade rumors. And if TNT trades him, he will command a high price. Castro, while not getting any yo...

Blackwater is said to be interested in Magnolia backup big man Kyle Pascual. And the team might be willing to offer a draft pick or player. We all know that Magnolia is in need of a big man. So it is unlikely that they will trade Pascual unless they are getting a first round pick or a big man. Blackwater is not going to give up their 1st round pick for Pascual obviously. As for bigs, they have Kelly Nabong, Marion Magat, David Semerad and Andre Paras to name a few. After everything that happened at SMB, it is doubtful SMC will want Nabong again. So maybe Magnolia will accept Semerad or Paras for Pascual. More likely if the trade happens it will be Semerad, not Paras. Paras is just a rookie and Blackwater will want to keep him and see how far he can go.  Of course if the rumors are true that Magnolia will get Gerg Slaughter soon, they can trade Pascual even for a guard. Exactly who will depend on the negotiations, but even though Blackwater is struggling, there are players there who...

  A PBA coach is on the verge of losing his job. That is if his team fails to make the playoffs. There are only three possible candidates we see here. Pio Jarencio of Northport, Johnedel Cardel of Terrafirma and Nash Racela of Blackwater. It seems unlikely that Blackwater will fire Racela though. He had just been appointed to the position, so they will probably give him time to adjust. Plus the way Blackwater is playing it seems like they are tanking to get the number one pick in the next draft. As Cardel, Terrafirm is indeed struggling like Blackwater. But as some have pointed out, you can put any coach in TerraFirma and they will struggle too, given the team's penchant for trading away their best players and draft picks. That leaves us with Pido Jarencio. Unlike Terrafirma and Blackwater, Northport has a solid lineup with Slaughter, Bolick, Malonzo, Anthony, Ferrer, Rike etc. But they are struggling right. Actually they had prboelsm last conference where they ended up with a 1-10...

Even though the PBA is on hiatus right now, that has not stopped teams from engaging in trade talks. This includes Phoenix and Terrafirma.  Reports say TerraFirma guard Rashawn McCarthy will be traded to Phoenix for RR Garcia and Jorey Napoles.  Rashawn spent most of his time on the bench when he was drafted by SMB. But he showed his worth after being traded to TerraFirma. He average double figures and showed he is a capable point guard. But he had a run in with coach Johenedel Cardel in the previous PBA bubble. He was allegedly complaining about the lack of playing time and not getting enough touches compared to CJ Perez, who was still playing for the Dyip then. This led to Cardel benching him for a few games. Now, just before this season was put on hold, McCarthy again did not play in the last game of TerraFirma. The official reason given is he had an injured leg. But sources say he was benched for being lazy at practice. This did not sit well with the coach, and so no surpr...

There are reports Northport will trade big man Greg Slaughter to Magnolia for guard Jio Jalalon, Jackson Corpuz and a future pick. This is comnig from Snow Badua. Slaughter has played very well in his first two games with Northport, against powerhouses SMB and Ginebra no less. Greg put up 23 pts and 17 rebs vs SMB and 16 pts and 14 rebs vs Ginebra. So it makes no sense to trade Greg. He is there so Northport can have someone to match up with Junmar, Tautuaa, Standhardinger and Aguilar. But of course Greg will be traded because SMC wants him. Originally he was spposed to go to SMB, but it looks like management is happy with Fajardo's progress and his tandem with Tautuaa. So Greg will no go to Magnolia for Jalalon and Corpuz. We all know Jalalon's troubles and why the Hotshots want to trade him. Corpuz is a good player, and for all his troubles, so is Jio. But are they enough for Greg? Given that Greg was traded for Christian, the answer is no. Magnolia must offer more. The trade...

It looks like Art Dela Cruz might not remain on the Ginebra lineup for long. Management is reportedly looking to trade him, put him in the Ginebra 3x3 team or just release him. Dela Cruz made his mark while playing for Blackwater Elite, a tall wingman who could play the point. Tim Cone likes players who can play multiple positions, which is why he traded Chris Ellis for Art Dela Cruz. The problem is Art has rarely stayed healthy long enough in Ginebra to make an impact. On the few times he has played, Dela Cruz has made a difference.  He is like Joe DeVance who can do a lot of things for the team. But Art is always injured and now management might be running out of patience. So the first option is to put him in the 3x3 team. Ginebra doesnt have a 3x3 lineup yet, but with the PBA games suspended, the management will have the time to go over the lineup. By putting Dela Cruz in the 3x3, Ginebra can assess his performance. If he plays well, they can bring him back up to the main roster...

Before this season started, Poenix was considered one of the teams that could challenge the SMC and MVP teams. Though they lost Calvin Abueva, they got Chris Banchero and Vic Manuel. But now their record is 1-4 and have games against Rain or Shine, NLEX and SMB ahead. Four teams will be eliminated and their is a chance that Phoenix could be one of them. Now management is reportedly looking for a big trade. But who will be involved? Phoenix looks like they need a big man. Justin Chua is their only center along with Jake Pascual, and both play more like stretch 4s. They have an abundance in the 3 and 4 with Wright, Perkins and Manuel. A lot of teams are of course interested in Wright, Perkins and Manuel, but giiving them up will not make Phoenix stronger. Unless they decide this season is lost and that it is time to rebuild. The other problem with Phoenix is they do not have a first round pick for next season's draft. They gave it away in the Vic Manuel trade. So let us see what mana...

Don't look now, but Baser Amer may not stay long at Blackwater and end up in TNT soon. Amer was traded by Meralco to Blackwater for Mac Belo. While Belo is playing well in Meralco, Amer has been struggling for the Bossing. Actually his struggles began in the last PBA bubble so it was not surprising the Bolts traded him, plus there was the emergence of Aaron Black. Now why would TNT want Amer when he is struggling and they have Castro and Mikey Williams? Well if you watched TNT play vs Phoenix, it is lear Williams is still struggling with his jumpshot. Having someone like Amer, a good outside shooter, is an insurance for coach Chot Reyes. While Amer is shooting blanks now, he might be invigorated at the thought of playing for a playoff contender. The question now is who will the Bossing get in return. But judging from their past transactions with TNT, this won't be a big problem.