NOT so fast.
A day after the MPBL and two-time champion Pampanga released a Giants Lanterns lineup that included Raffy Verano, Alvin Pasaol, and CJ Payawal, a veteran players' agent clarified that Verano is still tied down to a contract with PBA balllcub Phoenix.
READ Pasaol, Verano, Payawal boost Pampanga three-peat bid
Marvin Espiritu, co-founder of the Espiritu Manotoc Basketball Management, made the clarification on behalf of his client Verano, who he said is still under contract with Phoenix until September and therefore cannot sign with Pampanga.
The son of veteran players' agent Danny Espiritu added that 'by all indications, Raffy will be signed to a new contract by Phoenix and has every interest in doing so."
Amid the transfer frenzy, the MPBL released Pampanga's 22-man lineup that included the three players. MPBL's official Facebook page posted the lineup on Tuesday, took it down in the afternoon, and put the post back up in the evening.
Pampanga's official FB page soon followed suit and posted the same lineup.
Espiritu said he has also communicated Verano's contractual situation with former Pampanga coach Dennis 'Delta' Pineda.
Pasaol's situation is a bit different. While the former UE star's contract with the Meralco Bolts expired at the end of June, Espiritu said there's a '50-50 chance' that Pasaol will be signed to a new deal by the Bolts.
On the other hand, Payawal is an unrestricted free agent with rights to salary that has a contract with TNT that ends by the end of the month.
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