CHICAGO -- Quincy Miller wants to play for TNT, which desperately needs him to hold the fort in the upcoming Commissioner's Cup conference while main import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson recovers from gastroenteritis.
Unfortunately, Miller, 30, can't because another PBA team owns his rights.
"Converge won't release me. I don't know why," Miller said in a SPIN.ph report today.
I know why.
According to my sources, the FiberXers were willing to release the Chicago native to TNT for something in return such as a trade, a pick or a player.
Given that the 6-foot-9, 210-pound Miller is a great asset, an NBA veteran who was drafted 38th overall by the Denver Nuggets in 2012, it's only fair for Converge to seek compensation.
BUT TNT WON'T BUDGE. I GUESS THEY'RE REALLY NOT MUCH INTO QUINCY MILLER, AFTER ALL.
As I grappled to fathom why TNT wouldn't engage in a fair barter with Converge I quickly realized that this is the same team that couldn't come to terms with its star player --- Mikey Williams --- after nearly eight months of renegotiating.
Life is good, but not that good. These days, when we have to pay for air (conditioning) and water (bottled), the only thing that's free, it seems, are memories.
Here's how amazing Miller is. Through nine games in the 2022-23 Commissioner's Cup, the Baylor alum by way of Chicago averaged 32 points, 16 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 3.1 blocks and 1.8 steals per. The only thing that could stop Miller at that point was an alarm clock, but let's not go there.
The Tropa needs to realize that they can't just walk into a vineyard and grab a basket of fine bordeaux grapes without paying for it. They must have mistaken Converge for a farm team.
Are the FiberXers being greedy, silly in this case?
Hell, nah. The FiberXers are merely compliant to rules concerning imports' rights as mandated by the league.
BEEN THERE. DONE THAT.
Look, Converge badly wanted to but couldn't sign up Shabazz Muhhamad a few conferences ago. The reason?
"I can't. San Miguel won't release my rights," Shabazz told me via text message last February 10 this year.
The FiberXers took their lumps and didn't wail about being inconvenienced to look elsewhere. C'est la vie, and they moved on.
I know, in a perfect world teams competing in the same league must have cooperation as an ingredient to success. But let's not kid ourselves here, the PBA is a solar system away from perfection.
Just for kicks, humor me here.
What if this Miller situation went the other way around, do you really, honestly think the Tropa would just release a prized gem without anything in return?
I don't think so. And I say that not because I believe the Tropa are bad guys. They won't do it because the Tropa are good in the business of basketball and giving away an import with NBA pedigree for nothing is bad business.
Capisce?
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