CHICAGO - It was dubbed as the summer of the "revenge travel," when the world slowly crawled out of the pandemic and people began to fill airline seats to escape the prison of their homes.
But last June 2022, the only excursion that mattered to the TNT Tropang Giga was the flight which was supposed to carry Mikey Williams from Los Angeles to Manila.
When Williams missed that planned transit, it sparked more fuel to an already contentious renegotiation talks between the star player and the flagship franchise of the MVP group.
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Sixteen months later, it's deja vu for Mikey and TNT:
Both sides are trying to work out a deal and the spirit of yuletide in these "ber" months isn't exactly oozing on either side.
This time, though, TNT doesn't have to worry about Mikey missing a flight.
A source told me that Mikey, who spent his birthday in the Philippines last year, wants to celebrate his birthday this year in L.A. where he will be surrounded by friends and family.
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Meanwhile, TNT did not list Mikey in the roster for the upcoming PBA conference which starts on November 5.
Apparently, Mikey doesn't have to rush back to an airport terminal anytime soon. The way things are going, he might not even have a team to play for in the PBA.
Which is a grim, but real, prospect.
Six months after he invoked a renegotiation clause on his existing three-year contract extension, which was inked in June of 2022, the two sides are nowhere near an agreement and the passing of time had only allowed them to grow further apart.
So, that's the beef?
IS IT MONEY OR THE LENGTH OF THE RENEGOTIATED DEAL?
"Both," said a person with knowledge of the talks. The source also told me that Mikey hasn't been drawing salary for at least a few months, which raises the issue on how much more money can Williams leave on the table.
"(TNT) agreed to have this clause in the contract. We are merely doing our due diligence. Mikey is not going to play basketball forever," the source added.
A Europe-based agent told me that TNT might consider leaning on FIBA to find a resolution in this labor dispute. But the Games and Amusements Board (GAB), not FIBA, a noted sports lawyer explained, is the agency that has oversight on players' contracts in the PBA.
Obviously, that avenue is pretty much a dead end. However, FIBA can disallow Mikey to play elsewhere if he cannot secure a clearance from TNT and the PBA.
There are no winners here.
Mikey is taking a huge financial hit while the Tropang Giga potentially lose a championship piece, a weakness that becomes even more glaring given that sharpshooter RR Pogoy has been ruled out for at least six months.
Who folds first?
The player who needs to earn his well-deserved bounty or the franchise who is desperate for their biggest asset to come home and defend their title?
I have no clue. Either way, nobody wins here.
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