VETERAN Art dela Cruz is now an unrestricted free agent, but injuries that hampered him for most of his PBA career are making it difficult for the 6-foot-4 forward to land the team he prefers to play for next.
The contract of the 31-year-old with NorthPort expired at the end of Season 47 and the two parties agreed to part ways, making the former San Beda stalwart from the 2015 draft class an unrestricted free agent.
Unfortunately, injuries which kept him from reaching his full potential in the pros are discouraging teams from gambling on the forward.
READ: Dela Cruz done for season after hand surgery
Dela Cruz failed to finish the last season for NorthPort after undergoing surgery on his broken hand which he suffered during the Batang Pier’s Governors' Cup game against Barangay Ginebra.
But what really dented his stock were the two Achilles tendon injuries during his time with Blackwater and, later on, Barangay Ginebra.
While the native of San Miguel, Bulacan did win a pair of championships with the Kings, he was only a shadow of the player picked in the first round by the Bossing (ninth overall) during the 2015 draft.
A SPIN.ph source said Dela Cruz is actually leaning toward a move to NLEX and his college coach at San Beda, Frankie Lim.
The Road Warriors though, have also expressed concern about Dela Cruz's fitness, sources added.

At the moment, Dela Cruz continues to keep himself in shape as he looks forward to hooking up with a new ballclub by next season.
Dela Cruz ironically, is the second prominent member of the 2015 Class to exercise his option as an unrestricted free agent after No. 3 selection Maverick Ahanmisi.
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