Air21, top draftee seal deal worth P8.5M

Air21 and top draft pick Anthony Washington yesterday agreed in principle to a juicy P8.5-million deal in three years even as the ball club remains open to trade deals involving the 6-foot-6 Fil-Am behemoth.

Air21 board representative and team manager Lito Alvarez discussed the deal with Washington’s agent-adviser Charlie Dy while the player was practicing with the team at the Moro Lorenzo Sports Center inside Ateneo campus yesterday afternoon.

The contract is expected to be signed today.

Alvarez also made a lucrative offer to fifth pick Mark Cardona through his agent Mike Gonzalez, involving P6.8 million also in a span of three years.

Under the Air21 proposed contract, Washington is to receive the allowed maximum monthly pay of P150,000 for rookies this year plus the maximum 50 percent increases in his salary (P225,000 then P337,000) in the next two years. The P8.5-million deal excludes perks and bonuses.

Cardona has been offered a monthly take of P120,000 in his rookie year, P180,000 in the second year and P270,000 in the third year.

Alvarez said he also intends to give a three-year pact to sixth pick Niño Canaleta.

But with 16 players in their roster, the amiable Air21 top official said their coaching staff is still evaluating the best 12-man lineup it could present for the 2005-06 PBA season opening in October.

Alvarez has said earlier only Renren Ritualo and Ranidel de Ocampo are "untouchables" in their team, meaning the others, including Washington, can be traded to other ballclubs.

But Alvarez stressed the other teams can only get Washington if they have the likes of Romel Adducul and Billy Mamaril to offer in exchange.

Alaska Milk had offered Don Allado for Cardona and Mark Pingris. No deal was made when Air21 made a counter-proposal of Pingris-Egay Billones for Allado.

Air21 made its own trade offers for Mamaril, which were all nixed by Coca-Cola.

"We’re open to all negotiations as we’re in search of one legitimate center and one point guard. If we get these, we believe we would already be a team to reckon with," said Alvarez.