CHICAGO - As the contract talks slowed to a crawl for seven months, steadily breaching the boundaries of acrimony, TNT finally reached a breaking point.
Tired of waiting and exhausted from chasing their reluctant star, the Tropang Giga has run out of that precious bandwidth called patience.
Per multiple sources, the flagship franchise of the MVP Group sent a "termination of contract" notification letter to Mikey Williams days before the November 5 start of the Commissioner's Cup conference.
READ: Jolas passes baton to Chot on dealings with Mikey Williams
It's the first piece of what is expected to be a series of falling dominoes that will eventually lead to the sad, messy divorce of this well-documented love-hate relationship.
Like most contentious negotiations, money was at the epicenter of the TNT-Mikey row. According to sources, Williams asked for a big raise, not quite on a celestial body level but steep enough to be met with stiff resistance.
HOW MUCH EXACTLY?
Let me just say, it's plenty of zeroes.
Mikey's camp insists that the money asked is fair, citing his unimpeachable credentials that include capturing Rookie of the Year honors, a PBA All-Star selection, a scoring title, two championships and two Finals MVP awards.
The absence of Roger Pogoy and the uncertainty surrounding import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson's efficacy after he returns from an illness created a scoring need at TNT that has padded the value of Williams.
In the end, though, TNT is waving the white flag. It can only bend over backwards so many times.
Just because a big, loud warning shot has been fired, it doesn't mean someone has to drop. Both parties can still warm their cold shoulders and pick up the pieces of what's been broken: goodwill and trust, to name a few.
It might, however, require something close to divine intervention.
WHERE DO THEY GO FROM HERE?
TNT still has a magnificent core. But Kelly Williams is 41. Jayson Castro is 37. Poy Erram is 34 and banged up while Roger Pogoy is on the mend. The Tropa needs to fill the vacuum of Williams' imminent departure.
As for Mikey, the path ahead is a lot more complicated.
TNT holds his rights, meaning the offensive juggernaut would need a release from TNT in order to get a clearance from the PBA. Without both, Mikey does not have the freedom to take his talents to any FIBA-sanctioned league in the world.
What was once a partnership soaked in deep mutual affection and lathered with bubbly champagne is now being torn asunder.
Sports ain't always a fairy tale. There is no promise of a happy ending, just a constant reminder that sunshine can turn into darkness faster than a 3-on-1 fastbreak.
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