SMB beefs up roster, gets Mercado, Maierhofer in multi-team trade

MANILA, Philippines – San Miguel Beer, the flagship brand of the giant SMC conglomerate, is returning to PBA play next conference with a revamped coaching staff and a beefed-up player roster.

New head coach Biboy Ravanes and consultant Todd Purves will have at their disposal a lineup souped up by new trade acquisitions Sol Mercado and Rico Maierhofer.

Obviously determined to make immediate impact in its PBA return, San Miguel Beer entered into a complex trade deal with Globalport, Barako Bull and Air21 involving five other players and two future draft rights.

The Beermen, reverting back to their old banner from Petron Blaze, acquired Mercado from the Batang Pier in a straight swap for Alex Cabagnot and got Maierhofer from the Energy Cola for Jason Deutchman and their second round picks in the 2016 and 2017 Rookie Draft.

Part of the deal approved by commissioner Chito Salud was the transfer of Leo Najorda from Globalport to Barako Bull, Jonas Villanueva from Barako Bull to Air21 and Bonbon Custodio from Air21 to Globalport.

The league chieftain disapproved a more complex trade proposal, involving San Miguel’s Yousef Taha and Globalport’s Justin Chua.

Taha was supposed to land at Globalport and Chua at San Miguel Beer. It’s still uncertain whether Globalport and San Miguel Beer will pursue the deal.