MERALCO unloaded shooting guard Garvo Lanete in a trade with NorthPort a day before the team plays its opening game in the PBA Philippine Cup.
The Batang Pier shipped their 2020 second round pick to acquire the services of the shooting guard out of San Beda.
Trade papers have been sent to the PBA office and approved on Tuesday.
Following the go-signal, the Bolts will no longer have Lanete on their roster when they debut against Phoenix Fuel Masters on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, which will also see new acquisition John Pinto debut with Meralco.
The Batang Pier also see action on the scheduled doubleheader at the Big Dome, facing a new-look Blackwater in the curtain raiser at 4:30 p.m.
NorthPort has expressed interest in acquiring Pinto after the stocky guard failed to come to terms with Blackwater, which later traded him to Phoenix for seldom-used big man Joseph Eriobu.
But the Bolts beat the Batang Pier to the draw, striking a deal with the Fuel Masters to get the services of the former Arellano University stalwart in exchange for Jason Ballesteros and the team’s 2020 second round pick.
Lanete was hampered by injury in the early part of last season but was healthy enough to help the Bolts reach the semifinals of the Governors Cup for the third straight year. He averaged 4.8 points behind 12.8 playing minutes in 31 games.
He played for almost two seasons with the Bolts, who acquired him in a three-team trade in 2017 centered on JR Quinahan and Larry Fonacier.
The younger brother of San Miguel’s Chico Lanete was a first round pick - 6th overall -by NLEX in the 2015 draft.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
