Is Robert Bolick already restless at the NLEX Road Warriors camp?
Sources told SPIN.ph that the star guard out of San Beda is now in a stage in his PBA career where he wants to win a championship and unfortunately the Road Warriors have not looked anywhere close to contending for a title.
“Berto wants to win a championship and right now, the team is nowhere near that goal. Miracles happen, but you see, we’re three to four players away from that, if you are to compare the team perennial championship contenders,” said a source.
READ Nermal picked up by Converge after turning unrestricted free agent at NLEX
In over a decade in the PBA since acquiring the Air 21 franchise, the third team under the MVP umbrella has reached the semifinals just once under Yeng Guiao and has not gone anywhere close to a championship.
It has been no different under Jong Uichico this season, where the Road Warriors were bumped off the quarterfinal stage in the Governors' Cup and blew a playoff shot at a spot in the Commissioner's Cup Final Eight.
Sources said Bolick's 'uneasy relationship' with Uichico adds to the frustration at a time when the player is supposed to be nearing his peak at 29 and contending for Best Player of the Conference honors, but not a first PBA title.
At the moment, the situation hasn't deteriorated to a point where Bolick - who won a UAAP championship at La Salle as a bench player and three NCAA titles at San Beda - has demanded a trade out of NLEX.
Will NLEX let Bolick go?
Just a few weeks ago, there were talks of a Magnolia bid for the player in a trade involving Aris Dionisio and Jerrick Ahanmisi. But sources said NLEX management is cool to the idea.
If winning a championship is the priority, the most logical destination for the volume shooter is grand slam-seeking TNT, but higher-ups in the MVP organization frown on such moves, said a source.
Just after NLEX’s practice Monday, sources bared Bolick, who moved to NLEX from NorthPort in a December 2023 trade, even had a heart-to-heart talk with the team management.
“After ng ensayo, kinausap pa siya ng mga bosses. Mukhang okay naman - sa ngayon," he said. "Let’s just hope he remains happy being with the team."
Efforts to reach Bolick and NLEX management yielded no result, but the team has not been inactive in player movements.
Just days ago, the team relegated Jhan Nermal to its unrestricted free agent with rights to salary (UFAWR2S) list, where he was eventually picked up by Converge.
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