PAUL Lee was excited to learn about his trade from Rain or Shine to Star [now Magnolia], knowing the kind of starpower the PBA team possessed.
"Inisip ko kaagad Star Hotshots. Malakas pa 'yun. Nandoon pa si James Yap, nandoon pa si PJ Simon, (Marc) Pingris, (Mark) Barroca, (Justin) Melton, (Alex) Mallari, Allein Maliksi, RR Garcia. Contender itong team na ito," he told 2OT.
More than anything, the chance to partner with Yap, a fellow University of the East alumnus and a two-time PBA MVP, excited Lee the most.
Little did he know that the dream pairing won't come to be as the franchise players were swapped for each other back in October 2016.
"Hindi ko alam kung sino yung ka-trade ko," the 6-foot-1 Tondo dribbler said.
He should have seen the trade coming.
Rain or Shine, which just won the 2016 Commissioner's Cup crown, had had a rather interesting campaign in the season-ending 2016 Governors' Cup as 10 of its players with expiring contracts were not tendered contract extensions.
"Doon ko naramdaman na yung team, parang naghihintay kung anong mangyayari about sa contract at worried talaga lahat kaya hindi kami makapag-focus ng maigi sa game,” Lee said.
Those anxieties showed in the games.
The Elasto Painters finished with a 5-6 win-loss card in the eliminations and lost the eighth-seed playoff to Phoenix, 105-94, to exit the conference with a whimper. The anxious wait extended for another month.
"Ang tagal noon, siguro lagpas na ng isang buwan. Usually kasi kay coach Yeng (Guiao), three weeks lang na pinagpapahinga nila kami tapos babalik na kami ng practice. Pero sabi ko lagpas na isang buwan ah," recounted Lee.
And then, the pin dropped.
On October 4, Guiao left Rain or Shine for NLEX, ending a five-year run at the helm of the team that delivered two championships.
Shocking as the news was, Lee felt that it wasn't the end of those earth-shaking news.
"Sabi ko bahala na kung anong mangyari sa akin."
Lee had just wrapped up his workout at University of the East in October 13 when he found out what's next, seeing his phone bombarded by missed calls from Rain or Shine governor Atty. Mert Mondragon.
"Nung time na yun, dadating din yung kontrata ko sa bahay. Pinadala sa akin yung kontrata ko para i-check ko kung ano daw masasabi ko, at pag-aralan ko daw. Maya-maya, nag-text na si Atty. Mert at sinabi niya kaagad sa akin. Direct to the point na, 'Paul, na-trade ka namin sa Star Hotshots. Good luck sa'yo doon. Mag-iingat ka doon and magpapakabait ka doon,'" he recounted.
Soon after, his new destination reached out to him, led by governor Rene Pardo and San Miguel sports director Alfrancis Chua. Yet he heard no other details about the transaction.
"Tumawag sa akin si boss Pardo at si boss Al na welcome sa team, ganyan-ganyan. Wala rin sila sinabi na ganon," he said.
It was only through friends that Lee found out which player he was traded for.
"Nagte-text sila, sabi ko imposibleng James Yap," he recalled. "Nung nagbasa na ako ng news, doon parang tumayo yung balahibo ko na parang, 'What, si James yung ka-trade ko?'"
The deal remains as one of the biggest trades of the past decade.
Lee's excitement soon turned to pressure, knowing the huge shoes he had to fill for his new team.
“Doon pumasok yung, 'Patay, pressure.' Dalawa yung feelings mo, na sobrang happy mo kung saan ka napunta kasi kahit na anong sabihin mo, yung Purefoods isa rin sa pinaka-matatag na franchise talaga sa liga natin eh.
"Pero ngayon James Yap yung kapalit ko, kailangan meron akong madala sa table nito right away. Big shoes to fill talaga kasi alam ko yung naghihintay sa akin na expectations nung tao, ng mga fans, at ng management."
That wasn't the last of the changes for Rain or Shine.
Assistant coach Caloy Garcia stepped into the job Guiao left, and on the same day, JR Quinahan was also sent to GlobalPort for Jay Washington.
It was never the same since then.
The Elasto Painters have yet to make the finals again since that fateful 2016 offseason, yet showed tremendous promise with Yap and their young guns slowly emerging.
For his part, Lee has done a great job as the new face of the franchise, steering the rebranded Magnolia Hotshots to the 2018 Governors' Cup crown, where he also took home his first Best Player of the Conference award.
"Hopefully, na-satisfy sila sa mga pinakita ko or ginagawa ko on and off the court. Sana nasiyahan sila sa first four years ko dito sa franchise," said the 31-year-old court general.
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