NLEX coach Yeng Guiao admitted there were no takers on the players he tried to trade in the offseason - or he just didn't like the value he was getting in return.
At the height of the Road Warriors’ tailspin in the Philippine Cup in his first conference at the helm, the outspoken coach bared changes were coming and player movement was bound to happen.
But almost two months later, the Road Warriors fielded basically the same team from last conference at the start of the Commissioner’s Cup, bowing to Rain or Shine, 113-105, on Friday night.
“I did not hide the fact that we tried to trade in the offseason, but we did not close any of the deals,” Guiao admitted after a long talk with his wards and staff in the dugout following the opening-day loss.
“Syempre ang hirap bitawan ng player kung ang kapalit ballboy,” he added in jest. “Kung hindi naman ballboy, eighth-round draft pick. Nung ni-research ko, wala palang eighth round.”
“Mahirap mag-trade kung walang may gusto sa player mo,” he continued.
The lone change in the team was a free-agent acquisition in Juami Tiongson.
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Still, the Road Warriors started the conference on the wrong foot as they have suffered their fifth straight loss and 10th overall in 12 games this season under Guiao.
But Guiao is eager to make do with what he has this time.
“Pagtitiyagaan namin yung team namin ngayon,” the NLEX coach said. “Magpapakita kami para kung sakali sa susunod na makaisip kami magtrade, may value na yung mga players.
“Siguro naman di na ballboy ang ibibigay sa amin sa susunod,” he joked.
“We will perform better, try harder, work harder, and maybe, this is a blessing in disguise that we weren’t able to trade players because now, we have a chance to prove ourselves again as a team,” he concluded.