CHICAGO - After a five-day wait, the star-studded blockbuster trade between Converge and TNT was approved by the PBA trade committee on Monday afternoon.
The signing rights of Mikey Williams now belong to the FiberXers in exchange for Jordan Heading, a memo signed by deputy commissioner Eric Castro and sent to all the PBA teams confirmed the development.
"I will report (to TNT practice) on Wednesday," Heading told me via text message.
READ Heading now officially with TNT as PBA approves trade with Mikey
Unfortunately for Converge, Mikey's case isn't that simple, In fact, the FiberXers are in a race against time, 10 days to be exact, to enter into agreement with a newly-acquired asset that is based in Los Angeles.
If Williams isn't signed within that window, the FiberXers will still keep his rights but he obviously won't be in the playing court where he is warranted. The deadline for players' names to be entered in the roster so they can play in the ongoing Philippine Cup is noon of June 16.
"Mag send pa lang na Uniformed Players Contract by tomorrow," a source with knowledge of the situation told me, adding that Mikey will be tendered with a max offer of P420,000 a month.
There is confidence and enthusiasm that once the perks and bonuses are tacked on to the deal, Mikey will end his 25-month exile from the PBA and fly back to the Philippines.
Even if everything contract-wise falls into place, the source explained that the FiberXers are aware of the limitations as it pertains to Mikey's ability to immediately make an impact with the team.
"Di madali yun," the source said of Mikey's challenge in assimilating with a different set of teammates while adapting to an entirely different playbook.
Unwanted pounds
Mikey is also not in game shape yet and will probably shed some unwanted pounds before he can resume terrorizing the PBA competition with his offensive arsenal.
In the end, whether this new chapter starts now or at the next conference, all the trouble will be worth the headache.
Converge just added a three-level scorer to an already potent line-up that already boasts of twin towers in Justine Baltazar and Justin Arana plus Alec Stockton and Schonny Winston.
At age 33, it's never too late for a new beginning for Williams.
The hope now is that his emancipation from TNT during a bitter, drawn-out contract impasse will have a happy ending with Converge.
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