TNT is supplanting its roster with young talent in an attempt to turn the fortunes around of what its coach referred to as the oldest team in the PBA today.
Rookie free agent Jielo Razon and former San Miguel first round pick Avan Nava are trying for spots in the Tropang Giga’s lineup for the season-opening Governors’ Cup.
Team manager Jojo Lastimosa said both freshmen have been diligently attending the team practices for the past several days now.
The PBA great however, doesn’t want to commit if the franchise will eventually sign the two, although coach Chot Reyes admitted TNT currently needs young blood in its roster especially after consecutive playoffs exit last season.
“I think it’s time. If I’m not mistaken, we are the oldest team, if not one of the oldest teams in the league. So I think now is the time to make the change, make some changes. But still with the end in view of continuing to win because that’s the expectations of our management,” Reyes said in the recent PBA Media Day at the Le Parc Hall Event.
“But as I’ve said, nakita ninyo naman yung kalaban and the other teams have retooled, got them better, got them talented, got them stronger. So I think it’s going to be difficult for us to keep up with the competition.”
The past three seasons, TNT didn’t exactly have a draft pick in either the first or second rounds.
In the recent Season 49 draft, the team didn’t get a hand on the rookie list until the third round when it selected Jared Brown of Ateneo at no. 31 overall.
The Tropang Giga though, had the fortune of signing up rookie free agent Kim Aurin from University of Perpetual Help last year, who was originally selected by Barangay Ginebra at no. 34 (third round), but didn’t earn a roster spot with the Kings.
The team is now taking the same route it did in landing Aurin as it hopes to get something out of Razon and Nava.
“We were able to bring in an undrafted guy Gelo Razon. We’re very happy with Gelo’s performance. So that gives us an extra option at the point guard spot,” said Reyes of the former UPHR teammate of Aurin, who surprisingly, wasn’t picked by any team in the last draft.
First-rounder Nava curiously left as a free agent
Nava's release to free agency came as a surprise especially since first-rounders are usually almost assured of a contract, long ones even.
So when Nava didn't get a contract even after being picked 12th, ahead of other second-rounders like Evan Nelle, Paolo Hernandez and Didat Hanapi - all of which have signed contracts with their respective teams already - eyebrows were raised.
A reason would probably be the addition of free agent veteran guard Kris Rosales to the team, which puts them at 15 local players - the limit allowed for any team.
Further adding to that curiousity is NorthPort releasing Rosales just a few weeks after signing a one-year contract extension.
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