CHICAGO - The request of Will Navarro to acquire a Letter of Clearance (LOC) that will allow him to play overseas is stuck like the dreaded Metro Manila traffic.
"Nothing has moved since last week," a person familiar with the negotiation told SPIN.ph.
But I can confirm that the Samahang Basketbol Ng Pilipinas (SBP) is willing to give Navarro the green light to test the overseas market.
Say what you want about SBP president Al Panlilio, but under his watch, the welfare and happiness of Gilas players will be paramount.
[READ: Will Navarro apologizes as he seeks release from SBP, NorthPort]
With the federation appearing to be no longer as stringent in asserting it's right to a legal roadblock, it now appears that the bottleneck lies exclusively in the intersection where Northport and the PBA meet.
Hopefully, both entities will reconsider.
The PBA and Northport don't have to be fair here, they just need to be compassionate and release Navarro from the drafting rights that currently shackles him.
NAVARRO COMES FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS.
His parents migrated to Greece so the family can make a better life. But in 2020 when Taal volcano erupted, the dream house they built in Batangas was damaged.
Will, who had always dreamed of helping out his parents, saw an opportunity to do just that when the Korean Basketball League opened its doors for him.
The contract he signed with the Seoul Thunders, sources told me, was worth at least P750,000 a month, a deal that could have potentially reached P1.1 million to include bonuses.
It's a far cry from the P150,000 a month he receives as a Gilas player.
If Navarro stays in the PBA he will make only P200,000 a month as a rookie and P300,000 when he graduates to sophomore. status. By this third year, he might need a regular supply of antacids to deal with the stress from the avalanche of losing that occurs every conference at Northport.
The law is clearly on Batang Pier's side on this issue but here's hoping that they would have a moral attack and manifest the kindness that would let Will pursue financial freedom and basketball happiness beyond our borders.
Northport has a well-documented history of disposing of rich assets, moves that have raised suspicion regarding their motives.
Among those who have gone through Batang Pier's infamous revolving doors is an All-Star cast that includes Jamie Malonzo, Sean Anthony, Stanley Pringle, Mo Tautuaa, Vic Manuel, Christian Stanhardinger, Terrence Romeo, and Greg Slaughter.
And let me sprinkle some breaking news here. Robert Bolick, a source in Japan told me, is headed to the B League next year. This time for good.
So, what's the big deal in letting an unproven 25-year old Navarro walk away?
Which brings me to my point.
IS NORTHPORT BENT ON KEEPING NAVARRO BECAUSE PIDO JARENCIO HAS FINALLY FOUND THE FRANCHISE CORNERSTONE HE HAS BEEN LOOKING FOR?I
Or is Northport only eager to have Navarro as another piece that can be traded to the good folks running the teams of a major bloc?
I called and texted Northport team manager Bonnie Tan for some clarity, but his line was as quiet as Christmas night among atheists.
I get it, Navarro erred in not clearing the obstacles first before signing with the Thunders. But the kid went on bended knees to offer a mea culpa and explained his lack of enlightenment about the complexity of his contractual obligations.
This young man has served our country through several Gilas tours. I think he earned the opportunity to catch a little break here.
Look, if Kiefer Ravena was able to slither out of a live contract with NLEX and take his talents to the Japan B.League, I'm sure some legal gymnastics can be applied to Navarro's case as well.
If there's a will, there's a way.
But is the PBA willing?
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