CHiCAGO — In a stroke of bad luck, Bol Bol was wiped out of the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup on Friday night.
The 7-foot-3 super import fell to the MOA Arena floor while trying to squeeze through two Meralco defenders at the 2:51 mark of the first quarter of their Game Two semifinals series.
READ TNT medical staff fears Bol Bol has suffered partial Achilles tear
The initial diagnosis was brutal: a partial left Achilles tear.
The Bolts went in to beat the Tropang 5G, 87-76, and tie the best-of-seven semifinal series at 1-1.
That’s when Jojo Lastimosa, inarguably the best team manager in the PBA, sprung to action.
WANTED: IMPORT.
Jolas told reporters that he made calls, zeroing in on two former NBA players.
Darius Days, a 6-foot-7 wing, who played briefly for the Houston Rockets in the 2022-23 season, and Marquesse Chriss, the No. 8 overall pick of the 2016 NBA Draft.
Lastimosa left little doubt about his preference.
“I think we can survive this semifinals with Days but if we go to the finals, I don’t think we will be able to win with him.”
While clarifying that Days doesn’t lack the ability, Jolas believed that the 240-pound Chriss gives TNT a better chance to defend their title.
BIGGER, STRONGER.
“Chris is a more imposing import who’s 6-9. Athletic guy who has good experience, first round pick.”
Indeed, Chriss is a power forward-slash-center with 292 games played in the NBA, where he averaged a respectable 7.6 points and 4.7 rebounds while logging 18.3 minutes a game.
Unfortunately, Chriss ain’t arriving.
“Not going there,” Chriss’ agent, Josh Beauregard-Bell of Wasserman Basketball, told me via text message.
Marquesse last played with Shandong in the CBA and it’s unknown if a live contract in China or elsewhere is the reason why the PBA was ruled out.
Either way, TNT is in a pickle, stick with Days, who was their stand-by import in Season 49, or make calls for a larger, taller reinforcement.
Game Three is Sunday, and time is ticking.
What would Jolas do?
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