CHICAGO - Seven days ago, Blackwater team owner Deoceldo Sy suggested the enforcement of a dispersal draft that would help improve the parity of play in the PBA.
It sounded so noble, an independent owner championing the cause of the weak, meek, and trampled.
And then today, news broke out that Blackwater is trading Rey Nambatac to TNT for Kib Montalbo and a second-round pick.
In politics, Sy's proclamations are the kind that is described as talking from both sides of his mouth. Say one thing and then do another.
READ Blackwater trading Rey Nambatac to TNT for Kib Montalbo, second-round pick
But in the PBA, it's simply another day in the office where a lumpy trade that favors a rich and powerful team lands on the commissioner's desk and will very likely get the stamp of approval.
Nambatac, the seventh overall pick in the 2017 PBA rookie draft, played in 11 games in this Philippine Cup with nine starts. He averaged 11.1 points, 4.4 assists and 2.8 rebounds.
Montalbo, on the other hand, was taken 11th overall in the 2019 draft. He played in 14 games for TNT with six starts and averaged 3.4 points, 2.4 assists and 1.1 rebounds per.
UNFAIR TRADE FAVORS TNT.
Look, the 28-year old Montalbo is a good player with Green Archer pedigree, but Nambatac, 30, is better at this stage of their careers.
While Rey is shooting a horrendous 26.3 percent from 3 and 35.8 percent from the field overall, he is a more dangerous threat.
Montalbo, meanwhile, averaged just 1.4 made field goals a game this conference while hitting 27.8 percent from 3 and 39.6 percent overall.
I asked Bossings coach Jeff Cariaso for his thoughts but he didn't respond to my text messages.
I also asked coach Chot Reyes about this potential windfall for TNT, but he, too, didn't reply. My guess is that Chot is enjoying a nice cut of steak for dinner tonight with a celebratory wine on the side.
WHAT PROCESS?
"We're trying to bring in an improved culture...It doesn't happen overnight...It's one of those things where you just got to stay in the process."
That's what Cariaso said in an October 2023 interview.
In fairness to Jeff, he did try to wash some of the stains of Blackwater's history of losing. He led the Bossings to a 2-0 start before flaming out at 4-7.
Whatever progress has been made got diminished by giving away Nambatac. And the so-called process at Blackwater, it seems, is a continued decay caused by a recurring trend where its best players somehow end up in the MVP group.
TNT, on the other hand, shores up on talent to make up for the deficit of losing Mikey Williams while addressing the needs at the point guard spot where Jayson Castro is getting up there in age.
As one observer said, an "unlevel playing field is the root cause of the PBA's decline."
So when Kume Marcial mulls over this Nambatac-Montalbo trade proposal, I hope he considers the trash can option.
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