3-team, 11-player trade ikinasa

Bilang paghahanda sa kanilang kinabukasan, isang three team, 11-player trade ang kina-sangkutan ng Air21, Ginebra at Purefoods kahapon.

Dinala ng Express sina veteran slotman Don Allado, swingmen KG Canaleta at JC Intal at banger Doug Kramer sa Purefoods at Ginebra kapalit ang future draft picks ng dalawa.

“We are continuously investing on our future,” wika ni Air21 president at incoming Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) chairman Lito Alvarez. “Since the coming conference is an import flavored tournament, we want a balanced line-up and we would like to give our potential players a chance to shine in other teams.”

Napunta sina Allado at Canaleta sa Giants para sa isang six player deal na nagbigay naman sa Express kina Beau Belga, Chad Alonzo at guard Chico Lanete bukod pa ang future first round draft picks ng una.

Ngunit hindi pa man nakakaupo si Lanete sa bench ng Purefoods ay dinala na siya sa kampo ng Ginebra kasama sina Intal at Kramer.

Ang kapalit nina Lanete, Intal at Kramer ay ang first round pick ng Gin Kings para sa 2012 at 2013.

Bago ang naturang three team, 11-player trade, ibinigay muna ng Air21 si 6-foot-7 Ranidel De Ocampo sa Talk ‘N Text para sa 6’5 na si Allado.   

“We also have to look at the future of our players. Allado and Canaleta are two talented players. While they will help us a lot, I believe they will shine more with Purefoods since it needs to strengthen its frontline,” dagdag ni Alvarez.

Sa pagitan naman nina Arwind Santos, Gary David at Cyrus Baguio, mas pinili ng Express na pakawalan sina Intal at Kramer sa Ginebra.

“As far as Intal is concerned, we believe that he was put in a difficult position of playing under the shadows of Arwind Santos, Canaleta and with Cyrus Baguio already in our line-up, we felt that he could excel more with Ginebra, which is lacking the no. 3 spot. Kramer will also provide depth in the frontline rotation of Ginebra rather than playing with us,” ani Alvarez. “And since this is an import-laden conference, guys like Homer Se and JR Quiñahan will most likely play the power forward spot and he will be dislodged, so it’s better to see him shine in another team.”

Makakatuwang naman nina James Yap, Kerby Raymundo, Enrico Villanueva at Peter June Simon para sa Purefoods sina Allado at Canaleta. (Russell Cadayona)