CHICAGO - Spring is in full bloom in Toronto, Canada where pockets of April showers nourish the bloom of May flowers.
But Matthew Wright, who's on vacation there with his loved ones right now, doesn't really need the bliss of autumn to play nice. His disposition is always sunny year-round.
And that was exactly the case when he spared a few moments of his precious time to talk to me about his ongoing contract extension negotiations.
"Phoenix and I haven't reached a deal yet," he said.
Matthew won't go into specifics but team manager Paolo Bugia told me that the Fuel Masters are prepared to give Wright, whose current contract expires this August 31, a maximum deal worth P420,000 a month for three years.
The offer was tendered during an intimate lunch over delectable Contis bakeshop and restaurant delights with team owner Dennis Uy and team executive Raymond Zorrilla just before Wright left the country.
"We want him to be our anchor for the future," Bugia said.
Wright's message to Phoenix
While the Phoenix package is extremely generous, it probably isn't enough.
Matthew, who is under the wing of super agent Marvin Espiritu, won't discuss his asking price, but he did want to make it clear that "I should be 1 of the highest-paid (players) in the PBA."
According to my sources, Robert Bolick received a reported P1.1 million a month renewal to stay at NorthPort while Ginebra star Japeth Aguilar got at least P1.2 million to stay away from the Japan B League.
So unless Phoenix sweetens Wright's deal with 'extras' and side businesses that the rich teams seduce their star players with, the Fuel Masters have no chance of keeping the services of the 31-year old whirling dervish.
FRANCHISE PLAYER.
Through 12 games in this Governor's Cup, in an import-laden conference no less, the 6-foot-4, 200-pound Wright embossed his name as among the league's resident stars by averaging 18.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists per.
At age 31, he is at the peak of his powers, and surrounded by the right personnel, he can take any team with at least 10 other breathing souls to the Promised Land.
If I were running a team that has genuine aspirations of at least denting the SMC and MVP groups' duopoly in the PBA, I wouldn't sign Matthew Wright today or tomorrow.
I would have already signed him yesterday.
Phoenix is on the clock, and it's ticking so damn fast.
"Outside PBA interest is intensifying," Matthew said, confirming what SPIN.ph has been reporting for the past several weeks.
Because he loves "the PBA, the fans, the hospitality, my family in Tarlac and the media who have been very friendly and supportive," he'd rather stay in the Philippines.
That choice, however, will also be influenced by whichever league gives him the pot of gold he richly deserves.
Japan. Taiwan. Korea.
Like basketball, Matthew Wright's opportunities are without borders.
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