CHICAGO - For not necessarily all the right reasons, embattled Converge guard Alec Stockton is the hot topic among PBA fans on social media.
Five days after the FiberXers' heartbreaking overtime loss to Ginebra in a do-or-die Philippine Cup quarterfinals game where Converge held a six-point lead with 99 seconds left in regulation, the issue is still sizzling.
Why did Stockton foul Jeremiah Gray in the act of shooting a 3?
READ Stockton's costly foul on Gray hastens trade out of Converge
Gray had just bolted off the bench, was stone cold, and fading away when Stockton gave up the foul which resulted in three made free throws and an overtime disaster.
Whether the foul was simply a brain fart or something more nefarious, the incident has put the team in a pickle.
POINT OF NO RETURN?
"We can never trust him anymore in big games," a Converge oficial told me.
And that perceived "competitive weakness" could eventually lead to a trade.
As first reported by my good friend and podcast partner Snow Badua of SPIN.ph, Titan Ultra is a possible destination.
On Tuesday night, Blackwater has apparently become another potential point of exile for Stockton.
The Fil-Am's camp told me Stockton isn't thrilled to play for either of the low-tier ballclubs but they also realize that teams have "the inherent right" to trade a player and that such moments are "beyond our control."
DARK HOLE.
Landing at either independent team wouldn't just be a drastic change of scenery for Alec, it will potentially burn a hole in his pockets.
With a contract that is set to expire in May of 2027, Stockton has a lucrative deal that includes perks and bonuses plus allowances.
All of that will go away at Titan and Blackwater because the Giant Risers and the Bossing are unlikely to make the playoffs although Titan sure is trying like hell.
While rich teams will be interested in a talent like Alec, Converge has no appetite in trading their guard to a strong team that they could face in the playoffs down the road.
But from Blackwater, if he indeed gets there, Stockton could still end up elsewhere.
Hopefully he does becaise it seems to me that Blackwater is a place where PBA careers go to die.
Alec Stockton's career is too good, too young to die.
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