PBA 'frees' free agents, defers pay cap

HONG KONG – The Philippine Basketball Association has just given “free agency” status a true meaning.

The PBA board of governors arrived at a landmark decision in a meeting Monday night, putting up a new measure allowing players to chart the course of their career after having played six years in the league.

Under this rule that eased the impact of the old “right-of-first-refusal” policy, players like JV Casio and the other members of the 2011 rookie batch can sign up with the team of their choice by 2017.

“This is prospective not retroactive,” said PBA commissioner Chito Salud in explaining the new twist on “free agency” rule which was among those approved by the board in Day One of talks at the Holiday Inn Golden Mile Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui.

This developed as San Miguel Corp. president and COO Ramon Ang appointed Richard del Rosario as acting coach of the B-Meg Llamados in the upcoming season.

Ang made the announcement in an overseas call to San Miguel Beer board member Robert Non last night.

Del Rosario is currently the head coach of St. Benilde in the NCAA and will only assume the full-time coaching job at B-Meg in mid-October.

There were earlier reports that Alaska coach Tim Cone was being offered the B-Meg coaching job but was denied by Alaska official Joaqui Trillo.

“We’re having our first practice day for our new players and he’s expected to be there,” said Trillo.

Alaska said it will hold a press conference tomorrow to clarify reports that Cone has resigned as coach.

Salud stressed, though, that the players are not restricted from signing up with their old teams. 

But gone are days when the ball clubs can hold on to marquee players – or any player for that matter – for the rest of their careers.

The players now have clear options in their seventh season in the league.

The board, now led by chairman Mamerto Mondragon of Rain or Shine and vice chairman JB Baylon of Powerade, approved this new rule even as it deferred plan to increase the salary cap.

“The board didn’t find it necessary at this time,” said Salud on the board’s decision to keep the team annual wage ceiling at P36 million and the individual monthly cap at P350,000.

The youngsters were given better leeway, including the increase of minimum pay from P30,000 to P50,000.

Topnotch rookies are now also allowed to receive the maximum pay on their third year in the league.

With some refinements in format, the 37th PBA season will kick off on Oct. 2 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum with the Philippine Cup to be followed by the Commissioner’s Cup, featuring imports of unlimited height then the Governors Cup with imports standing 6-foot-5 or below.

In their hope to further improve gate receipts and overall income, Salud said they would put a serious campaign to attract younger fan base.

“We will target the 12-35 demographics. We will bring the PBA back into their consciousness. We will make the PBA part of everyday conversation of the people,” said Salud.

“We will go down to the barangays for fans clubs. We will build basketball courts; we will light courts with the help of Rain or Shine,” Salud added.