TNT’s bid to score a first-ever franchise grand slam continues to gain ground.
Shooting guard Mike Nieto joins the Tropang 5G after negotiations to have him packaged as part of the Mikey Williams for Jordan Heading trade didn’t materialize.
READ Converge team owner Dennis Uy to lead negotiations with Mikey
SPIN.ph sources said Nieto was initially included by the FiberXers in the deal that sent Heading to the telecommunication franchise for the signing rights to the 33-year-old Williams.
But the deal failed to push through under that arrangement, and instead the two teams pursued the one-on-one trade involving Heading and Williams.
Converge later decided to releagate Nieto to its Unrestricted Free agent list, paving the way for his move to TNT.
Tropang 5G team manager Jojo Lastimosa later confirmed the transaction involving Nieto.
“Yes he’s part of the deal. But since he’s UFA (Unrestricted Free Agent), it just turned out he was just picked up from Converge.
And yes, Lastimosa consented too, Nieto will be a big help in the franchise’s bold bid to complete a sweep of the entire PBA Season 49.
'Additional floor spacer'
“He will be an additional floor spacer who’s a good team and culture guy. Just the kind of player we need to compliment our main players,” said Lastimosa.
Nieto, a former Ateneo standout, coming on board TNT is just the latest daring move taken by TNT following the Williams-Heading trade.
Just last week, the team signed up anew long-time TNT guard Almond Vosotros for the rest of the season and then activated fit-again big man Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser.
The personnel move comes as injury struck the Tropang 5G who missed out on guards Jayson Castro (knee), Rey Nambatac (groin), and Jeilo Razon (appendix)
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