CHICAGO - With trade rumors trailing him like footsteps, Jordan Heading put together one of his best efforts of the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup.
And it came just in time for Game One of TNT’s best-of-seven playoffs semifinals duel versus livewire Meralco.
Heading, a heady 6-foot-2, 189-lb guard, helped the Tropang 5G neutralize the Bolts, 94-89, with 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting.
Although TNT had never actively pursued trading away the former No. 1 overall pick of the 2020 PBA special draft, rumors swirled when Titan Ultra began shopping around its resident star, Joshua Munzon.
On paper, a one-for-one swap made sense in terms of salary grade and talent caliber.
The rumors gained more oxygen when Heading went into a slump after returning from a brief absence.
ALL CLEAR.
But he’s good to go now, his game activated to dangerous mode.
“(My) back has been fine for a long time now. I did miss two games with a sprained ankle,” he told me via text message.
And with that, he returned to doing Jordan Heading things, which included a pair of rebounds and assists plus one steal, while knocking down two 3s versus Meralco.
All of that in just 25 minutes and 45 seconds of action off the bench.
The fact that Heading, a Japan B.League and NBL Australia veteran, isn’t starting, highlights the depth of coach Chot Reyes’ rotation.
And here’s another factoid that leaked out of the Ynares Gym on that Game 1 in Antipolo.
PRIME ASSET.
Heading, at age 30 and just navigating his prime, remains one of the elite point guards in the PBA.
But don’t expect the trade rumors to completely go away as long as Munzon stays in the market.
Heading’s current deal ends in “late October or early November,” a source told me.
And as we now know in sports, expiring contracts are desirable for teams seeking a trade because of salary cap relief and financial flexibility.
Rightly so, Heading ain’t losing sleep over what may or may not happen after the third conference.
He’s too busy helping TNT defend the Commissioner's Cup title.
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