With the 2017 PBA Draft mere hours away, I have a story in my head.
Yup, I’m fantasy booking this one!
The first pick of the 2017 PBA Draft is now with the San Miguel Beermen. Kia Picanto – which means “masochist” in whatever land that agrees with what they got in return – will get their superstar at the start of the third round. The second pick is with the NLEX Road Warriors, who will likely have the leftover between Christian Standhardinger and Kiefer Ravena.
Now the third pick.
All of a sudden this gets interesting.
With TNT’s failed bid to annex the top pick, they could bid for this pick. I know Chito Narvasa is bent to change the rules especially with the sister teams… so this is the perfect time for the MVP teams to attack.
I know Blackwater is friendly with the MVP teams and Phoenix is nowhere near Barako Bull in terms of conduit-ness. In some ways, I see the fourth pick – regardless of whether or not it’s Jeron Teng or Raymar Jose – as a workable situation with regards to Gilas Pilipinas (like their situation with Matthew Wright).
Blackwater once had a team in the PBA called Blu Detergent. The team became famous for its wars with the Tanduay Rhum Masters led by current PBA commentator Eric Menk. The team once had Richard Yee but more importantly… Asi Taulava. The Rock debuted his awesomeness for the Dioceldo Sy’s PBL team during the late 90s and the then-bleached blonde menace in the paint went on to become a PBA MVP. After winning the Mythical Second Team a couple of seasons ago, The Rock rode the bench of the NLEX Road Warriors. If Asi wants to retire with a bang, then he needs to move out of Yeng Guiao’s system.
Now I don’t know what the MVP teams could do to work on what they would give but I think Blackwater would be okay sending the third pick to a MVP squad for one of TNT’s first round picks and Asi Taulava. Blackwater coach Leo Isaac has expressed his desire to pack size on his roster and mixing The Rock with JP Erram could do wonders with the other’s development. This move would also shift Mac Belo to combo forward chores with Allein Maliksi heading the backcourt alongside either Mike Di Gregorio or Nard Pinto.
And in perhaps (hopefully) in an unrelated note, Manny Pacquiao was Asi’s conditioning coach during his Blu Detergent days. Pacquiao’s Kia contract has expired and has expressed interest in hooking up with Blackwater.
Anyway, not only will this trade give Blackwater a dominating presence… it will also give the team another veteran to rely on. Just think of KG Canaleta, Roi Sumang, the first round pick, Dave Marcelo, and Chris Ellis manning the second unit. This team looks a bit of the Air21 Express squad coached by Franz Pumaren before its rights were ceded to the Road Warriors.
So who gets the third pick? That I don’t know. I would assume Jose would be the culprit if they try to send this Meralco or TNT but if it’s for NLEX then I could see this pick to turn out as Jeron Teng.
Like I said, this is fantasy booking.
But the reason I’m doing this?
Let’s just say, if I had the keys to the Kia machinery, I might give them a better trade than what they pulled off.
PROJECT SYDRIFIED WP 