THE MORNING AFTER: Wheeling and Dealing
    By Sam Miguel for Philippinebasketball.ph 08/26/2009

Just when fans thought all of the trading and transacting were all done, a three-team multi-player deal was struck among Barangay Ginebra, Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs and Burger King. It involved a grand total of 10 players, one of whom is not even in the PBA yet. The deal was mostly between Ginebra and Burger King, although Burger King served as the de facto conduit. Ginebra and Purefoods are considered sister teams, and the PBA does not allow direct transactions among sister teams.

Ginebra acquired Ateneo De Manila teammates Enrico Villanueva, a tough and rugged 6-foot-5 center-forward, power-leaping but barely-stirring 6-foot-4 forward Rich Alvarez, and multi-purpose 6-foot-6 forward-center Paolo Bugia. All three were with Ateneo when the Blue Eagles won their third UAAP senior division basketball championship in 2002. The Gin Kings also bolstered their perimeter lineup with the acquisition of veteran 5-foot-9 pointguard Celino Cruz and all-purpose 6-foot-1 swingman Cholo Villanueva.

Ginebra however had to give up whip-quick 5-foot-9 pointguard Paul “Kid Lightning” Artadi, and 6-foot-9 Filipino-American center Raffy Reavis. They also gave up two players they just drafted: 5-foot-11 Filipino-American pointguard Chris “Justin” Timberlake and 6-foot-3 hardcore forward Orlando Daroya. They also gave up a future draft pick. Daroya will go to the Whopper Kings, a hardcore circuit legend who embarrassed UAAP and NCAA veterans in off-season tournaments. If Daroya had the chance to play in the NCAA when Arellano was granted guest team status, he might have easily slipped in to the late stages of the first round. He is not only an exceptional athlete with a strong body, but he also has a steady outside shot and the ability to run down the anchor in transition, getting after the shot even when he comes from the opposite baseline. “The coaching staff was very impressed with Daroya’s performance in the (rookie) camp. Siya ‘yung isa sa may pinakamagandang ipinakita," said board representative Lito Alvarez.

Burger King also drafted three guys in the second round who have a better-than-even chance of securing contracts and roster spots: 6-foot-1 guard Benedict Fernandez out of FEU, 6-foot-3 former NU King Bulldog Edwin Asoro, and controversial 6-foot-5 former Lasalle center Mark Benitez. Fernandez just finished his fifth and last year with the Tamaraws, having won one UAAP title and at least two PBL titles with Harbour Centre / Oracle Residences. Asoro never made much of a difference for NU but was a valuable rotation player in at least the last four Harbour Centre PBL title teams. Benitez has a lot of upside, and should be more than motivated to show up all of his detractors. He was right in the middle of an eligibility controversy that resulted in his banning from the UAAP and a one-year suspension for Lasalle from all UAAP competition in 2006.

With these three players seeking roster spots, the drafting of Japeth Aguilar, and the trade that brought in Ken Bono from San Miguel, it looks like the Burger King frontline not only got retooled but got a totally new look and feel. Aguilar might be playing more 4 than 5, which means Benitez could be using that big body to alternate with another wide body, Beau Belga, at the center spot. Bono is looking at time at either the 4 or 5 spots. Daroya and Asoro could be alternating as 4/3 types, although Daroya might get a shot at the 3/2 swing spot. Bono rode the pines quite a lot in stints with Alaska and San Miguel, but if Yeng Guiao stays true to form and gives all his guys minutes, this might be the best professional career move ever for the former UAAP MVP out of Adamson University.

Purefoods for its part is welcoming back two players who had previous tours of duty with the franchise. Artadi came into the PBA along with University of the East teammate James Yap a couple of years ago as a Purefoods draft pick. Marc Pingris, who had just successfully helped San Miguel Beer win their first PBA title in four years, also returns to the Tender Juicy Giants. Pingris returned to Purefoods in a separate trade with the Beer Men. Reavis and Pingris should help bring some much-needed athleticism and quickness to the Purefoods frontcourt. His speed and decision-making have gotten better, but it should be interesting to see if he can make it all work for the Tender Juicy Giants. One of the reasons Purefoods let him go before was his inability to make decisions on the fly and run the offense. He improved all of these aspects of his game with Ginebra, but he also got all the opportunities to get better by Jong Uichico. Ryan Gregorio does not have such inclinations when it comes to pointguards.

Purefoods still has a lot of good big men, but they are more of the ground and pound types from the low blocks like “The General” Rommel Adducul and Don Allado. Their best big man now is 6-foot-7 Powerade Team Pilipinas player Kerby Raymundo. Raymundo should get plenty of help from Reavis and Pingris along the wings should head coach Ryan Gregorio go big but fast up front. Artadi will provide a steady pointguard presence for Purefoods and allow the likes of Roger Yap and Peter June Simon play at their more natural off-guard spots. Artadi loves the transition game and should find Yap and Simon willing accomplices in heading to the races. Artadi also now brings a newfound outside shot that ranges all the way out to the three-point line. He won’t be getting the same shooting opportunities he got with the egalitarian Ginebra offense in Purefoods though. Roger and James Yap, and Simon demand their touches and looks, and that means Kid Lightning will be giving up the ball nine out of every 10 possessions.

Ginebra thus loses speed and youth but gains toughness and veteran wiles with Cruz. Cruz has won championships at every elevel he has ever played, and has the intelligence and patience to lead a top team coming off the bench. He might become the primary backup of starter Jay Helterbrand. Ginebra has an aging frontcourt that seemed to run out of gas in the most critical stages of the Fiesta Cup championship series and the addition of the former Blue Eagles could help ease that situation. Enrico Villanueva, Alvarez and Bugia are in a reunion of sorts with JC Intal, Doug Kramer and reserve guard Macky Escalona. Intal, Kramer and Escalona were barely-used rookies riding the bench during that 2002 championship campaign. It should be interesting to see how the Ateneans blend with a man from their arch-rival: Cholo Villanueva, was a vital cog in the last Lasalle championship team in 2007.

Villanueva, Alvarez and Bugia will join forces with veteran big men Eric Menk and Billy Mamaril. The three Ateneans will also have a reunion of sorts since Mamaril was a former teammate of theirs in the PBL with Ateneo Pioneer. Menk and Mamaril are strong low post operators but have been far from the athletic prototype. They will find another banger in the low blocks in Villanueva, a known combatant in the lane. Alvarez and Bugia will be freed up to roam at the perimeter, a welcome development for the two forwards who have not been very productive from the post in their PBA careers. Bugia has been trapped in 4 and 5 spots when he has always been more oriented towards the perimeter. His steady 16-foot jumpshot may finally find good use with Ginebra.

Alvarez has always loved to take shots from the outside in spite of his incredible springs and strong shoulders and arms. The two-time UAAP MVP award winner was picked Number 1 in the draft a couple of years back and was named Rookie of the Year, but his career has spun its wheels over the last year and a half. He needs to figure out whether he is a perimeter guy or a post guy, and also try to work out his defensive issues. With all of his athletic ability there is no excuse for him to be moving in and out of any coach’s doghouse.

Their arrival however might make minutes even scarcer for the younger forwards like Intal and Kramer. Kramer already has been little-used by the Gin Kings, riding the pines for games on end. As a strictly 4/5 type he has Menk and Mamaril ahead of him. IN the Fiesta Conference he also had Reavis and import David Noel to contend with, leaving him with precious few opportunities to strut his wares. Intal has shown some renewed promise coming off the bench as a tall 3/2 type attacking from the perimeter. But he got that done without Junthy Valenzuela, recuperating from an injury and now looking to return to the rotation at the 3/2 spot where Intal had his most productive minutes on the floor.

Escalona was not even on the bench for most of this last Fiesta Conference, staying just behind the team in the Patron seats nearest their bench. With Cruz around and the expected return of Mark Caguioa, Escalona and his guaranteed contract just might be released to make way for roster space. It should be interesting to see how his role will be affected with the arrival of the older Blue Eagles to the Gin Kings.

All the wheeling and dealing this early is a clear indication that every team is looking to plug their respective holes and find solutions to their team problems. That can only make for better and tougher competition all around when the PBA opens shop anew this October.