THE PBA Commissioner’s Office has approved a trade between Alaska and Blackwater on Tuesday night, paving the way for JVee Casio and Barkley Ebona's move to Blackwater for Mike Tolomia and a Season 48 (2022) second-round draft pick.
The trade, first reported by SPIN.ph, became official after being cleared by the league's trade committee.
The PBA approval means the Aces formally parted ways with Casio, the last member of the team’s championship run in the 2013 Commissioner’s Cup, and Ebona, who was picked in the first round of the 2019 rookie draft.
The trade is the third major move by the Bossing since they hired Ariel Vanguardia to replace coach Nash Racela, in the hope of turning around a team that went through a 0-11 campaign in the Philippine Cup - and a 19-game losing streak that stands as the worst in league history.
Rejigged Blackwater backcourt
The 35-year-old Casio now joins a Blackwater backcourt that also added Rashawn McCarthy, obtained in a trade with Terrafirma for Simon Enciso, and Val Chuaca, who was signed as a free agent.
Ebona’s presence will reinforce a frontcourt has been left wanting ever since the Bossing shipped Poy Erram in a 2018 trade to NLEX.
Tolomia, 28, now moves to the fourth PBA team of his career after stints with Rain or Shine and Meralco.
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