PBA Insider News

it looks SMB is not done trading. According to PBA On the Go, SMB is looking to ad two young big men to their team. The question is, who are these players? One of them is most likely Jamie Malonzo. This has the rumor ever since he joine the league, and just like what happened with CJ Perez, it is probably true. malonzo will be a good fit for SMB and is the heir apparent to Arwind Santos. Vic Manuel, who took Arwind's place, does not have a three point shot. Jamie does. But who is the other big man? The clue is young big, so it is not Greg Slaughter. The most likely options are Troy Rike and jason Perkins. Perkins is the better player now, but he is harder to get since he is on an independent team. Rike on the other hand, is in Northport. That team is close to SMC so Rike will be easier to get. Rike would be the ideal backup for Junemar Fajardo and allow Tautuaa to slide to power forward. The only question is who will SMB offer in return. For Rike they might give Gotladera and Senar...

Ginebra big man Prince Caperal might be on the trading block. The reason? Ginebra's frontcourt is just too crowded now. Japeth Aguilar turned down the offer from Japan and will sign a contract extension with Ginebra. The Gin Kings are also offering a two year contract extension for Christian Standhardinger. Add Joe DeVance and new recruit Sydney Omwubere, plus Aljon Mariano and Arvin Tolentino, Jared Dillinger and their center, power forward and small forward spots are crowded.  Caperal's playing time already got cut when Christian arrived. With Omwubere there, that means he will get even less minutes. Ideally he could alternate at center with Japeth and Christian plays power forward. But Tim Cone only uses a limited number of players. So most likely Caperal will be traded. A lot of teams will definitely be interested in a 6'8" player who can shoot from the outside. In return, Ginebra can ask for a shooting guard or point guard to help with their backcourt rotation. It...

Magnolia is not done trading. After getting big man James Laput from Terrafirma, there are reports Magnolia will receive scoring guard Garvo Lanete from Northport in exchange for two second round picks. Lanete will be a good fit for Magnolia. he can take over the spot vacated by Justin Melton and provide another scorer in case Paul Lee is struggling or injured. This is a good trade if it pushes through. Clearly Victolero loves playing small ball so Garvo will fit in nicely. As for Northport, they will be on the losing end of this trade. They need another guard actually to help Bolick, but so what else is new with Northport and Terrafirma. In any event, Northport can use those second round picks to get more guards. This can offset the loss of Lanete. This trade is currently in the exploratory stage, and it may or may not happen. But if it does, consider this a win for Magnolia. This will make their lineup stronger. While Lanete is not an all star, he is a capable scorer who can be a flo...

Is Chris Banchero leaving Phoenix? His contract will expire soon and he will be an unrestricted free agent. Meaning, he can sign up for whichever team he wants. The question is which one. When Magnolia got Banchero people were skeptical if he could fit in the crowded Magnolia backcourt. And that is precisely what happened as he was traded to Phoenix for Abueva. While Calvin has flourished in Magnolia, Phoenix really struggled in the Philippine Cup. If Bnachero were to leave Phoenix, he probably won't return to Magnolia. Could he go to SMB? The Beermen have a crowded backcourt with Ross, Romeo, Perez, Zamar and Pessumal. But Banchero can be a good replacement for Ross if he is traded. Ginebra? He will be a good fit there too. Pringle and Tenorio are not getting any younger, and getting Banchero will definitely help them.  Or maybe Chris could go to an MVP team. Jayson Castro is no longer young and he cold team up with Mikey Williams. Or he could go to NLEX or Meralco. There are a lo...

After trading Kyle Pascual and Justin Melton to Terrafirma for James Laput, we can expect more trades for SMB, Ginebra and Magnolia. Magnolia might still trade Jio Jalalon and get a shooter like Kevin Ferrer. Ginebra is looking for a backup point guard or outside shooter like Juami Tiongson. SMB needs a power forward or a center to shore up their frontcourt Magnolia did not get Slaughter as the asking price was too high, and Victolero did not want to let go of any other players.  And Laput might be enough for Magnolia. At 6'10" he definitely adds ceiling and he has great potential. For Ginebra meanwhile, they are looking to get a shooter. This has long been their problem and they can get one in the draft or through trade. As for SMB, it seems like they will still make trades. They have Vic Manuel but need another player to be a backup center or power forward. And Manuel does not have a three point shot unlike Arwind.  So there are still holes to fill in these SMC teams. And wi...

Is Phoenix Petroleum going to be for sale? Or will they leave the PBA? This question is now being asked given the team's moves. They traded Calvin Abueva after signing him to a new contract. They did the same thing with Vic Manuel. In the case of Vic, they traded him for a bench player in Sean Anthony. A good player, but a bench player unlike Manuel who is a starter. Now why would Phoenix leave? If this is true, the most likely reason is financial. Companies have to spend hundreds of millions of pesos to maintain a PBA team. Phoenix owner Dennis Uy owns several companies, and most are in debt. He is looking for investors, but the first thing investors will want is for the company to eliminate non essential expenses. And that likely includes a PBA team. So if we see Phoenix trade Perkins or Wright or Banchero, then that is a sign that the team is indeed cost cutting. If that happens, either the team leaves or another company buys it. if another company purchases Phoenix, hopefully i...

Is Calvin Abueva going to remain a Hotshot or will become the newest Gin King? This is a huge question with no real answers yet. Maybe Abueva to Ginebra, Slaughter to Magnolia and a Magnolia first round pick and a top Ginebra player to Northport? Abueva made an immediate impact when he was traded to Magnolia, helping the team reach the finals though they lost to TNT. He also had a similar impact at Phoenix. But what if he is traded to Ginebra? The Kings can certainly use someone like Calvin, given his energy. Since sister teams cannot trade directly another team has to get involved, but that is not a problem. The question is will Magnolia agree to this? Given how much of an impact Calvin had, Victolero might think twice abotu letting him go.  But in the end everything is up to SMC management. If Calvin does go to Ginebra, expect Magnolia to get a top player in return. Maybe this will open the door to getting Slaughter finally. But SMC will also have to give up something to get this...

With the uncertainty about Japeth Aguilar and Christian Standhardinger, is there a possibility that Greg Slaughter will return to Ginebra? Aguilar and Standhardinger have huge contract offers from Japan. If one or both of them accept it, that will leave Ginebra with a big problem, literally. They need someone who will man the middle.  Could Slaughter be the answer? While Christian has struggled with the triangle offense of Cone, Greg is familiar with it. The problem has always been he has never played well with Japeth.  But if Japeth accepts the offer from Japan, that could make things easier for Greg. But will Greg want to come back knowing Cone wanted to trade him for Christian? And what about Magnolia who needs Greg too? And it could be possible that Ginebra will want a younger big man like Troy Rike or James Laput, maybe even someone from the draft.

Prince Caperal had an outstanding 2020 PBA Philippine Cup, but now there are reports he will be traded. There are many options but one destination is said to be Rain or Shine for Beau Belga. Caperal came into his own after Greg Slaughter went on sabbatical. He was even named Most Improved Player and helped Ginebra win the championship. But when Standhardinger joined the team, he lost playing time and his performance suffered. And with all the uncertainy of Christian and whether he will go to Japan -same with Japeth- Ginebra is going through changes. But who will win in a Belga for Caperal trade? Rain or Shine will win this trade. Caperal is younger and has a more consistent shooting. And he is not a  maximum salary player so they can save money.  Belga however, is a good defender. If Christian leaves, Cone might want someone like Belga inside as Caperal plays on the outside.  Now word yet if this will push through though. Belga is being pursued by NLEX too and SMB is repo...

With Alex Cabagnot and Arwind Santos no longer part of SMB, the next question is who is next to go? One name that comes up is Marcio Lassiter. And SMB might trade him for Matthew Wright. Lassiter is the best three point shooter in SMB, but he really struggled in game 7 of the semis series with TNT, failing to score. And he is not getting younger either though he can still play. Wright is, along with Marcio, the best shooter in the league. And his play in the Philippine Cup suggests he is not happy with his team. Not only because of the Abueva trade, but due to the uncertainties surrounding the team. The owner of Phoenix, Dennis Uy, is knee deep in debt. There is no telling how this will affect the team. So Wright might want to move to an SMC or MVP team and get a more lucrative deal. Straight up a Lassiter for Wright trade might be approved, or maybe SMB can throw in a pick as well since Marcio is older. But after the Cabagnot for Enciso trade was approved, a pick might not even be nec...

Will Magnolia trade Paul Lee for Robert Bolick of Northport? Lee is their star player, but after SMB traded Cabagnot and Santos, anything is now possible at the SMC camp. Lee struggled in the finals vs TNT and was outplayed by Mikey Williams. So it would not be surprising if Magnolia were to trade him for Bolick. Bolick is one of the top guards in the league and there is no question he is wanted by a lot of teams. However, the problem is Bolick has an offer from Japan. If he declines the offer he might be traded to Magnolia. But if he accepts then Northport will likely let him go. No point keeping a player who does not want to be on your team. But while this trade is fair, Magnolia might also look at other options. For example they might trade Lee for Greg Slaughter. After all, Magnolia needs a big man. But if they do this trade and it is approved, who will take over Lee's spot at point? Barroca is not getting any younger and Jalalon and Melton will likely be traded. So these are t...

The latest trade offer reportedly by Magnolia to Northport is Jackson Corpuz, Justin Melton and draft picks for Greg Slaughter. Will Northport and the PBA trade committee accept this? There is no question what Greg can do for Magnolia, but he will come at a stiff price. And as shown in the recent Cabagnot trade, SMC can no longer pull too many lopsided trades. The players involved have to be close or similar in value. In this case, Corpuz, Melton and draft picks may not be enough. Magnolia probably has to offer more players if they want Greg. And it will not make sense for Northport to trade Greg, a big man in exchange for guards. Not unless a third team is involved and they get a big man as well. If the trade is Magnolia and Northport only, magnolia must offer more than bench players. But who? A fair trade is Ian Sangalang for Greg. But Magnolia will not let him go since they want Greg specifically to tandem with Ian. So who will it be? Abueva? Paul Lee? Any of those trades will send ...

After trading Arwind Santos and Alex Cabagnot, could Chris Ross be the next to go?  SMB looks serious in rebuilding after being eliminated by TNT. They have let go of Santos and Cabagnot, and now Ross could be next. But is it a good idea to trade Ross? Ross is their best defensive guard and the only one in the league it seems who can guard Mikey Williams. He is no longer young, but he has lots of experience and is their leader. But after everything that has happened, it is not impossible that SMB will trade him. The only question is for who?  Robert Bolick is the most likely answer, except Bolick is reportedly going to Japan. If this is true, then SMB has to look for another guard. Or maybe they will get a big man and Terrence Romeo will be their new starting point guard. There are a lot of options for SMB, and that includes not trading Ross. As we mentioned, he is their best defender against Mikey Williams. If he goes, who will SMB use to guard Mikey? There is no question SMB...

There are reports that the Alex Cabagnot trade to Terrafirma will be straight up with Simon Enciso, and Roosevelt Adams will go to Ginebra for Arvin Tolentino and a draft pick. Roosevelt Adams can play multiple positions, and that means Jared Dillinger may be on the way out. Jared also plays 3 and 4 but he is older and prone to injury. In contrast, Adams is younger. This may just be the start of more trades for Ginebra. Aside Jared, players like Raymond Aguilar and Kent Salado may be traded too. Rookie Ken Sagulo was already sent to the 3x3 Ginebra team. What this goes to show is that SMC is dead serious about upgrading their teams' lineups. Magnolia is the one team that has not moved yet, but they will probably do so soon enough. But what is not clear is where Dillinger will go. Most likely though is either Northport or Terrafirma. However it is unclear who Ginebra will get in return. Most probably a backup guard as Dillinger's trade value is no longer that high. Not unless th...

The rumors that Alex Cabagnot will be traded to Terrafirma for Simon Enciso and Roosevelt Adams is all over the Internet. But could this be a sign that SMB will now trade Terrence Romeo? SMB wants to trade Cabagnot to get younger. And with Adams they get a stretch four who can rebound and hit threes like Arwind. A floor spacer for their post up guy June Mar Fajardo. Roosevelt has a longer range than Vic Manuel, but Vic has a better inside game so they complement each other. Add Tautuaa and JMF and SMB frontline is set. But why get Enciso? SMB already has a loaded guard lineup. Not unless they release Terrence Romeo. if Romeo and Cabagnot leave, that would mean a rotation of Ross, Perez, Enciso and Pessumal plus Zamar. But we have to find out who SMB will get if they trade Romeo.  He is their top scorer so SMB will not give him up for nothing. Jamie Malonzo? Robert Bolick? And who will Ginebra give up in return to Northport? Whatever the case may be, it is clear that being swept by ...

The word going around is that Magnolia is going to trade Russell Escoto and Jackson Corpuz to Northport. However it is not clear who the Hotshots will get. Could it be Greg Slaughter or Troy Rike? Both are going to fill up the need for a big man in Magnolia. Greg is more experienced, but Rike has huge potential. The question is who will Magnolia get. Rike for Corpuz and Escoto plus maybe a pick will be fair enough. However it will take more than those to get Slaughter. At least on paper because the PBA approves lopsided deals anyway for the SMC and MVP groups. Slaughter will provide immediate impact for Magnolia, but he is not getting any younger. Rike will take more time but he could be their big for years to come. Another advantage of Rike is he has a three point shot, so he can complement Ian Sangalang. On the other hand, Slaughter is a solid inside presence. His height will make it harder for other teams to score inside. So now let us see what SMC will do and which of these two the...

The PBA is still recovering from the shock SMB trade that sent Arwind Santos to Northport for Vic Manuel and Sidney Omwubere to Ginebra for Art Dela Cruz. But Northport is not that as Greg Slaughter might on the way to Magnolia. These trades do not make sense for Northport. Santos is older than Manuel and Omwubere had a breakout season while Dela Cruz didn't even play due to injury. But they are a farm team of SMC so this is to be expected. The only question now is who else will Northport trade? Most likely Robert Bolick, Jamie Malonzo and Troy Rike. And no one will be surprised if that happens. Right now SMC seems to have done away with any pretense about fair trades. They are going to get all the players they need to get back at TNT, who swept all three SMC teams last conference en route to the championship. So Greg Slaughter is going to Magnolia reportedly for Jackson Corpuz, Russel Escoto and a couple of picks. After that we can expect Malonzo to go to SMB or Ginebra. Bolick is...

After the blockbuster trade that sent Arwind Santos to Northport for Vic Manuel, the team may next trade with Ginebra. And according to reports, Standhardinger might find his way back to coach Jarencio. The situation with Standhardinger is complicated by the fact that he has an offer to Japan. Cone may want to keep him, but it is better to trade him now to Northport so they are not left holding an empty bag. Of course that will be Northport's problem but since they are a farm team, it will not surprise anyone. The other thing is that Christian has not exactly blended in with Ginebra. They barely made the playoffs and many are contrasting with the improved play of Greg Slaughter. But everything is really wait and see due to the Japan factor. Plus there is the fact that Magnolia also needs the services of Greg Slaughter. And SMB may not be done trading either since coach Leo may still want a backup center for Fajardo. Northport has a solid lineup, but it is just too bad they are a fa...

The search for a big man for Magnolia continues, and the newest candidate is Troy Rike.  Greg Slaughter remains their primary target, but if that is not possible they can get Rike instead. Rike is a rookie who has shown flashes of brilliance, but his playing time dwindled when Slaughter began playing. At Magnolia he should have enough playing time and provide support for Ian Sangalang. And his price tag will not be as high as that of Greg. The only question is whether Magnolia will try to go for him now or wait later. The problem with getting Greg is Ginebra or SMB might need him too. Apparently SMC management is waiting to see what Aguilar and Standhardinger will do with the Japan offer. If they accept, or one of them does, Slaughter, Rike, Laput or another big might end up in Ginebra. So now all Magnolia can do is wait and see what happens to Ginebra. Then they can decide whether to make that big offer for Greg Slaughter or get Troy Rike

The PBA just approved the trade that sent Vic Manuel and Michael Calisaan to Northport for Sean Anthony, Sean Manganti and a 2nd round pick, speculation  flew that Manuel will not last in Northport. His final destination will be SMB or Ginebra. SMB needs a power forward to help Arwind Santos. The only big man Leo Austria uses to back up Arwind and Junemar Fajardo is Mo Tautuaa, so they need another one. SMB has been trying to get Beau Belga but ROS is asking for a lot.  Manuel will be easier for SMB to get since he is now at Northport. However, Ginebra also needs a big man. If you look at the Gin Kings they have a lot of bigs. But if Aguilar accepts the offer from Japan, they can use the services of Vc Manuel. And if Christian Standhardinger also leaves for Japan, that will leave a huge hole in the Ginebra frontline. So now SMC is looking to get other big men. This is probably why the reported trade for Raymond Almazan has come up. If Standhardinger and Aguilar go, Ginebra wan...

Ginebra and SMB are often the subject of trade rumors and speculations, but Magnolia is looking to beef up its roster as well. After losing 4-1 to TNT  in the finals, they need to make changes. And one change might involve Jio Jalalon being traded for Kevin Ferrer. This was long rumored before the start of the season. But Magnolia got off to a good start so it did not push thru. But now it might. Ferrer will give Magnolia a stretch 4 two way player, and height is always welcome. Jalalon on the other hand, gives Northport a point guard to help Robert Bolick. Or even take his place if he does go to Japan as reports say. Whatever the case may be, it seems likely that Jalalon will be traded.  It is only a question if it is straight up for Kevin Ferrer or he will be part of a bigger trade to get Greg Slaughter. A lot of the focus on Magnolia is with their big man requirements. But to get that, they may have to trade one of their guards like Jio Jalalon.

After being beaten by TNT 4-1 in the finals, Magnolia needs to make changes to its lineup. And that starts by getting a big man. Their main target is Greg Slaughter from Northport. Slaughter will form a solid combination with Ian Sangalang, and this will allow the Hotshots to match up with SMB for instance. And with their guards among the best in the league, Magnolia will be a perennial championship contender. There are some potential roadblocks. The first is who do they give up. Slaughter commands a high price tag. And with the public eye on the league, a lopsided trade may not be allowed by the PBA. The other problem is that Ginebra might need Greg back. Yes they traded him, but what if Aguilar accepts the offer from Japan? Or what if Aguilar and Standhardinger both accept? That will be a huge blow to Ginebra and will force management to look for other bigs. That would mean guys like Slaughter, Troy Rike and James Laput. There will be a massive reshuffle among the three SMC teams plu...