THE PBA is set to raise its salary cap for rookies in the wake of the decisions of a couple of college stars to head overseas than play in the local professional league.
Sources told SPIN.ph the proposal to raise the maximum salary on rookies was among a raft of changes proposed by a study group tasked by the board to revisit provisions of the league by-laws that need to be either revised or abolished altogether.
League rules currently cap the salary of freshmen at P200,000 a month or P2.4 million in their first year. A raise of as much as 50 percent is allowed on the second year, meaning PBA players are eligible to get as much as P300,000 a month as sophomores.
The veterans maximum is P420,000 a month.
However, sources said the study group, headed by Terrafirma governor Bobby Rosales, felt the current rookie salary cap is too low to keep the PBA competitive against other Asian leagues which have been eyeing Filipino players as imports.
Thirdy Ravena and Juan Gomez de Liano have both accepted offers to play in the Japan B.League while Thirdy's older brother Kiefer is currently caught in a tug of war between his PBA team NLEX and Japan first-division side Shiga Lakestars.
The pay in Japan, sources added, is significantly higher than the veteran maximum in the PBA of P420,000 a month.
Another source bared the rookie salary cap has caused problems for TNT's bid to sign Fil-Am first-rounder Mikey Williams, who sources said was paid well above the PBA rookie maximum in a brief stint in the MPBL.
By raising its rookie salary cap, the PBA hopes to eliminate the problems that have bogged down the Williams negotiations and make the league a more viable choice financially amid the increasing lure of overseas leagues.
The study group's proposal, however, will have to be approved by the league board, which sources said has the option to raise the rookie maximum all the way to the current veteran cap of P420,000 a month.
PH players in demand in Asian leagues
Aside from Gomez de Liano and the Ravena brothers, sources bared other Filipino youngsters are on the radar of Asian teams under the Asian imports quota system being enforced in Japan and the Korean pro leagues.
Kobe Paras has an offer to play as an import in Japan, although the high-flying former UP Maroons star is currently in the US exploring other opportunities.
Gilas Pilipinas cadets Rey Suerte and Allyn Bulanadi are also rumored to be targets of Japan team, although both special Gilas draftees are under contract with the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) until the end of February 2022.
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