IS there any team willing to trade for Christian Standhardinger and convince the prized big man to come out of retirement?
Terrafirma management expressed willingness to sit down and talk with any team that expresses interest in acquiring the 6-foot-8 Fil-German in a trade.
"All options naman are on the table," said Terrafirma team governor Bobby Rosales.
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"So kapag may nag-offer sa kanya, we will cross the bridge when we get there because we have the rights on him."
The 35-year-old Standhardinger retired just before the start of the Commissioner's Cup after playing for just six games in the Governors' Cup since arriving in a controversial trade with Barangay Ginebra.
The former PBA Finals MVP and two-time Best Player of the Conference winner was acquired by Terrafirma together with Stanley Pringle in a trade with Ginebra for the pair of Rookie of the Year Stephen Holt and Isaac Go and a swap of draft picks.
Standhardinger's Ginebra contract which Terrafirma inherited expires at the end of the year, but the perennial league cellar-dwellers will retain his signing rights in the event he makes a comeback in the league by making a token offer.
The top pick of the 2017 PBA Rookie Draft is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent if he plays in six more conferences in the league.
But Rosales said if there are any willing takers for Standhardinger, then Terrafirma is just as willing to listen.
"Puwede namang mag-offer (ang ibang teams). You cannot stop other teams from offering him kung gusto niya pang maglaro sa PBA," said the former PBA board vice chairman.
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In his personal talk with the four-time champion, Rosales said there was no request on the part of Standhardinger to just trade him to other teams.
"He never expressed to us (to be traded)," Rosales said.
Standhardinger no longer showed up in team practices prior to the start of the Commissioner's Cup and later on, told Terrafirma management that he'll just retire from basketball despite having a month left in his previous deal with Ginebra.
Rosales said the Dyip had hoped that Standhardinger would play out the remaining month of his contract.
"Yun naman siyempre ang gusto namin muna, maglaro siya and tapusin niya yung contract," said the Terrafirma executive, who nonetheless notified the PBA Commissioner's Office of the team's dilemma since it constituted a violation of the Unified Players' Contract (UPC).
"Pero ano ang gagawin natin kung ayaw niya nang maglaro."
The Dyip are currently at the bottom of the standings with a 0-7 record.
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