NOT a few coaches were caught by surprise by the three-team, three-player trade involving Converge, Phoenix and NorthPort that was approved by the PBA and its trade committee last week.
Not so much with the players involved, but more on why the trade was allowed to happen at all.
On Thursday, the PBA approved the deal that had Jeo Ambohot going from Converge to NorthPort, the signing rights to Larry Muyang going from Phoenix to Converge, and Evan Nelle moving from NorthPort to Phoenix.
READ Arejola to Magnolia, Pido, Chong to Dyip in NorthPort 'dispersal'
The deal looked fair and aboveboard, except that some coaches, including Rain or Shine's Yeng Guiao, had one question.
Isn't there a 'trade moratorium' in place at NorthPort now that the 13-year old franchise is in the process of being sold to Pureblends Corp.?
The question is valid, considering the PBA Commissioner's Office issued a moratorium on all deals involving Terrafirma during the time the long-suffering league minnow was in the process of being sold.
READ PBA assures no more trades for Terrafirma until sale completed
"Automatic na 'yon," Marcial told SPIN.ph at that time. "Once nag-declare ang team na may bibili or ibebenta na, wala na papayagan na trades."
A simple timeline showed NorthPort and Pureblends agreed on the P90-million sale two weekends ago and reported as a breaking story by SPIN.ph's Gerry Ramos last Tuesday.
The following day, the PBA board discussed the proposed sale but deferred action, saying some financial documents needed to go under careful scrutiny. That is all the proof you need that a sale is ongoing.
The following day, the PBA released a memo, a copy of which was obtained by SPIN.ph, informing all the teams that the NorthPort-Converge-Phoenix trade has been approved by the trade committee.
So is there a trade freeze or not? If not, why wasn't there one? Efforts to ask PBA officials about it have yet to get a response.
Coaches, Guiao included, sure would want to know.
Bagunas, Espejo win fitness race for FIVB Worlds
There won’t be too many surprises in Alas Pilipinas’ Final 14 for the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship.
SPIN.ph has learned that Bryan Bagunas and Marck Espejo’s names will most likely appear in the Philippines’ 14-man Worlds-bound squad that has yet to be disclosed in full.
Head coach Angiolino Frigoni was tight-lipped when asked on who made it and who were cut from the 21-man pool.
However, both Bagunas and Espejo are admittedly still in a race against time to reach full fitness again after their respective knee injuries.
The hard-hitting Nationals duo took part in the homestretch of their Europe camp last month and even played in their recent tuneup matches in Manila against Portugal and Romania.
They might not be in top shape yet but they are both guaranteed to be fit enough to participate and perform in the Philippines’ debut campaign set to start in four days against Tunisia.
The full rosters of all 32 teams are expected to be released within the next two days following the preliminary inquiry and roster submission deadlines set by the FIVB.
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