MIKEY Williams' return to the Philippines to play for Strong Group Athletics has sparked speculations regarding the player's next destination after the Dubai tournament.
Chief of which is whether Converge will make a play for his services and open talks with Wiliams' former team TNT, which holds the aces regarding the future team of the former PBA Finals MVP.
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The SGA team is controlled by the father-and-son tandem of Frank and Jacob Lao, who are big supporters of Converge where they are also reportedly heavily invested into. Jacob is in fact one of the team managers of Converge.
Though Wiliams has practically zero connection with TNT after they broke ties following the breakdown of their contract re-negotiations nearly two years ago, the Fil-Am's playing rights still belong to TNT.
Mikey would be a big boost to any PBA team not named Terrafirma or Blackwater, but getting him would probably come at a price as the 33-year-old still has enough basketball pedigree to play at an elite level for a few more years.
After the Tropang Giga expressed willingness to consider trading Williams, SPIN.ph learned from sources that Converge might try to get him even if it means giving up a reliable talent such as Justine Arana, along with seldom-used Jeo Ambohot, and future draft picks.
Arana, 25, has been an integral part of the FiberXers since drafting him No. 4 overall in the 2022 draft and considered part of the team’s major core behind Alec Stockton, and top rookies Jordan Heading and Justine Baltazar.
TNT is looking for a young big man to help its frontcourt especially with Poy Erram and Kelly Williams not getting any younger.
Aside from Arana and Baltazar, the only other Converge asset in its frontline is 6-foot-6 Jeo Ambohot, who was picked one spot ahead of Arana in the 2022 PBA draft at No. 3 and was subsequently signed to a three-year deal.
The question is will Converge go for a win-now plan with Williams or prefer a slow drive to the top by continuing to build its roster in the next few years?
Five-way race to sign Molina, Meneses
While the PBA remains engrossed in the Mikey Williams saga, in the Philippine Volleyball League (PVL), people are also waiting with bated breath where former Cignal stars Ces Molina and Riri Meneses will play next.
From the day their Cignal exits were announced last Jan 9, following a breakdown of negotiations (ala WIlliams and TNT), five PVL teams have reportedly made moves to acquire the services of the two volleyball stars.
SPIN.ph sources revealed that the teams in the Molina-Meneses sweepstakes are Akari, Nxled, Capital1, Farm Fresh and ZUS Coffee.
The two players are mum on their future plans although there is talk that they may play overseas — the route taken by multi-awarded PVL aces Jia de Guzman, Jaja Santiago and Maddie Madayag.
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That plan looks more promising since Molina and Meneses, if they decide to stay in the PVL, will have to wait for the conclusion of the 2024-25 All-Filipino Conference in April before being able to play in the popular league.
Newly-implemented league rules state that players previously registered by one team cannot play for another while a PVL conference is still ongoing.
That means four months of tournament play inactivity. Are these two willing to wait that long? Maybe, if the price is right.
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