JUSTIN Chua is receiving a salary as a PBA player, except that he is not playing for any team. Chua found himself with no team after Blackwater relegated him to its unrestricted free agent list, albeit, with his salary intact.
But that is probably not a situation he would like to be in, getting a salary without playing. Chua found himself without a team when the Bossing released its roster for the Philippine Cup and his name was nowhere, including in the injured/reserved list, that had Jaydee Tungcab's name as the only one on it.
But even if the veteran big man doesn't play, he would be eligible to receive his salary until the middle of 2026, the life span of his contract with the Bossing.
READ Jalalon-Chua deal on hold as PBA declares NorthPort trade moratorium
In the meantime, with his current status of UFA, any team is free to pick him up and assume the remaining term of his contract.
The 36-year-old Chua was initially involved in a trade with NorthPort in exchange for Jio Jalalon. But the transaction was stopped after a moratorium on player trades was declared by the PBA while negotiations were underway for the sale of the Northport franchise which subsequently was bought by Pureblends Corp.
Shortly after the buyout was completed, the trade became invalid.
Jalalon became an unrestricted free agent, too, in the absence of a tender offer from the Titan Ultra – the team name Pureblends will carry in the PBA. The pesky guard eventually landed a roster spot at TNT.
Chua, incidentally, was a batchmate of Pureblends team owner Byrann Calantoc in high school and they played against each other in the now defunct Metro Manila Tiong Lian Basketball Association.
Calantoc played for Grace Christian College, while Chua was the star player of Chiang Kai Shek.
A first-round pick at No. 10 overall by San Mig Coffee (now Magnolia) in the 2013 draft, the 6-foot-6 Chua has suited up for GlobalPort (NorthPort), San Miguel, Barako Bull, Meralco, TNT, Phoenix, NLEX, and Blackwater.
His best year in the PBA was when he played for the Fuel Masters in 2020 and averaged 11.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.6 block shots, and 1.5 assists on the way to being named Defensive Player of the Year and becoming part of the All-Defensive Team.
In his final season with the Bossing, he normed 6.8 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. - Gerry Ramos
No PhilSports Arena games for PVL
BARRING any late changes, the PVL will not hold a single match at the Philsports Arena, its de facto home venue.
The last time this happened was three years and 11 conferences ago in the 2022 Invitational Conference where games were held in four different places excluding the Pasig City venue.
Why?
SPIN.ph learned that the PVL has been kept out of the Philsports Arena to give way to the country’s preparations ahead of the 2025 FIFA Futsal Women's World Cup in November.
The Philsports Arena will be the lone venue of the global conclave from Nov. 21 to Dec. 7.
This prompted the league to scramble for alternate venues for its forthcoming Reinforced Conference, which PVL commissioner Sherwin Malonzo admitted to be a challenge during last week's press conference.
Five of the selected venues are outside Metro Manila, including Ilagan, Passi, Montalban, Candon and Dasmariñas which will also host the quarterfinals.
The three mainstay venues still in the two-month calendar are the Smart Araneta Coliseum, Mall of Asia Arena and Playtime Filoil Centre.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
