MIKE Nieto found himself traded by Rain or Shine on Monday, but not exactly to his dream destination.
Nieto was sent by the Elasto Painters to Converge in exchange for two future draft picks, ending his four-year stay with the team that picked him in the special Gilas round of the 2019 PBA rookie draft.
READ: ROS trades Mike Nieto to Converge for future second-round picks
Converge is an ideal destination for the sweet-shooting forward, who found himself reunited with former Ateneo teammate Adrian Wong. The former Blue Eagle was acquired from Magnolia in a previous transaction.
At Converge, Nieto will also be with another former Blue Eagle in Jacob Lao, now the FiberXers' team manager. Their coach at Ateneo, Tab Baldwin, is also believed to have close ties, both with coach Aldin Ayo and the Converge ownership group.
As good as that situation is, however, Nieto wants nothing more than to be reunited with twin Matt, who he had played with from high school to college at Ateneo all the way to the Baldwin-coached Gilas Pilipinas teams, a source bared.
The twins only got separated when Matt was drafted No. 3 by Yeng Guiao for NLEX and Mike at No. 5 by Rain or Shine in the Gilas round of the 2019 PBA draft.
"That was the reason for leaving Rain or Shine." said one source, "so he can be reunited with his brother."
So will it still happen?
One insider that SPIN.ph talked to bared that if NLEX wanted a reunion of the Nietos to happen in its backyard, it could've done so since Mike Nieto was there for the taking the whole time.
Oddly, the Road Warriors never made a move; didn't even show any interest.
There's still hope, though. Another source said a deal can still happen to bring the twins together in one team, but it may no longer be in the Road Warriors' camp.
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