ALJON Mariano has been relegated to the unrestricted free agent list by Barangay Ginebra, but his agent assures fans there's nothing to worry about.
PBA records show the much-improved forward has been dropped to the UFAWR2S (unrestricted free agent with right to salary) by Ginebra, meaning he can no longer be accomodated in the ballclub's 15-man lineup and injured/reserve list.
The move, however, has dangerous repercussions, since it gives Mariano the freedom to sign with any team if he decides to, like what Jared Dillinger did in 2019 when he signed with Ginebra after being relegated by Meralco to its UFAWR2S list.
[See Why PBA teams relegate players to UFA list despite the risk]
In the case of Mariano, his agent Marvin Espiritu assured that the 29-year old forward is very happy at Ginebra, which signed him to a three-year deal after playing a crucial role in the Kings' run to the 2020 PBA bubble championship.
"He's happy where he is right now," assured Espiritu.
The former University of Santo Tomas standout has yet to play in the current season, undergoing surgery twice to remove bone spurs in his foot and his comeback derailed by what coach Tim Cone described as a 'knee-ankle issue.'
But he was a key piece in Cone's rotation when healthy, averaging 9.64 points and 7 rebounds in the Gin Kings' run to the bubble championship.
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