DAVE Ildefonso is nowhere near playing in the PBA anytime soon.
The signing rights for the son of two-time MVP and PBA legend Danny Ildefonso belong to the Northport Batang Pier and the two sides have not come close to agreeing on a contract with the 49th season already underway.
Sources told SPIN.ph that Ildefonso was offered a contract that will pay him P150,000 a month on his first year, something that didn't exactly excite a player who received much more from his Suwon KT team in the Korean pro league.
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The former Ateneo star, the sources added, is also not thrilled to play for a team that has traded away key players over the years.
NorthPort has forwarded a tender offer that under PBA rules allowed it to keep the signing rights on the young Ildefonso and, according to sources, has resisted a number of trade offers for the former Gilas Pilipinas player.
Rain or Shine, a source said, was first to inquire about the prolific former college star, but was immediately rebuffed by Northport management.
Converge was among the teams that inquired about the young Ildefonso, but sources said the Batang Pier wanted Justin Arana in return. No deal pushed through, for obvious reasons.
NLEX, one team which considered Ildefonso during the last draft where it picked just behind NorthPort at No. 6 pick, was open to trading one of its own rookies, but Northport has shown no interest, a source said.
"Gustong-gusto 'yan ni [new NLEX] coach Jong (Uichico) kasi nga may partnership sila ni Danny I sa San Miguel noong araw. So he believes alam nya gamitin si Dave. Kaso di interesado ang Northport sa trade offer ng NLEX," a source bared.
Another option for NorthPort, a source added, was from Meralco which can part with a future first-round pick plus Alvin Pasaol. But that, too, has been given the cold treatment.
Stalemate
Right now, it seems, Northport is unperturbed by the stalemate involving Ildefonso as the Batang Pier have a surplus of players in his position.
And the camp of Ildefonso is likewise not blinking an eye, more so since the family had an ice-cold relationship with Northport’s known ally San Miguel Corp. from the elder Ildefonso's exit from an SMB team it helped win eight PBA championships.
But with PBA rules totally in favor of the ballclub in this case, the Ildefonso camp has very few options except those available outside the league.
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