Here we go again: Ginebra to get Rico, Maliksi

Goodbye Ginebra for Jimbo and Yancy?

If PBA Commissioner Chito Salud approves a recent proposal that involves B-Meg, Barangay Ginebra and the Barako Bulls, then we are looking at the first of many trades this 37th Season (which has been the norm the last four or five years anyway).

In the current proposal submitted to the Commissioner's Office, B-Meg will acquire veteran big Yancy de Ocampo, Barako Bulls get slumping sophomore Jimbo Aquino while Ginebra gets promising rookie Allein Maliksi and athletic big Rico Maierhofer (to form their own "Sampayan Brigade" with JC Intal and Nino Canaleta). Future draft picks are also on the table but let's not look into that right now (heard it was for 2014 and 2015 which could turn out to be the year Ray Parks, Jr. or Kiefer Ravena jumps to the pros).

Here's my take on the situation if the trade pushes through:

B-Meg
Yancy de Ocampo
In Tim Cone's grand scheme of things, where would a sweet shooting big man who is allergic to the post area fit? He already has a more athletic version of De Ocampo in starter Joe DeVance, and is also hard-pressed in distributing minutes to guys like JDV, Kerby Raymundo, Marc Pingris and still serviceable enforcer John Ferriols. In small minutes though, YDO is still one of the more polished bigs around inside and out.

Barako Bulls
Jimbo Aquino
Jimbo fans (San Sebastian alumni) rejoice! Or not. Depends on how you see it. From being outperformed by NCAA rival John Wilson at the Ginebra camp and losing minutes to their collection of guards, Aquino is all set to move in the "spark plug" role that will be vacated by rookie Allein Maliksi (who has seen his minutes drop as of late as well as suffering an MCL injury) with the Bulls. While we all know that Aquino is a top level scorer, it's on the defensive end where he remains to be questionable and stuck in that Patrick Cabahug-Jonathan Fernandez category (great collegiate scorers with limitless range but plays unacceptable defense).


Barangay Ginebra
Allein Maliksi
Has spunk, leaps and can score in bunches though his defense remains a bit erratic. Given his size and aggressiveness however, Maliksi is already a better offensive player than would be teammate JC Intal (who hasn't found his footing in the pros or anywhere else after that superstar year with Ateneo in the UAAP). The only problem I see here is that small forwards Intal and Nino Canaleta will probably have the lion's share of the minutes (unless Canaleta slides at the 4 spot) plus, coach Siot Tangquincen has made it pretty obvious that since he has a boat load of volume scoring/shooting guards at his disposal, the rest better play defense first-- something that Maliksi has yet to really show.

From back-up big to possible starter 

Rico Maierhofer 
In my mind, given all the scorers and superstar talent on the Ginebra roster, all that's really needed at this point is a rebounder. When the team picked Reil Cervantes in this year's draft, I thought that they had their guy. But the rookie big seems bent on putting up points and calling his own number every time down the floor so that pretty much puts a damper on things. With Maierhofer, Ginebra gets an in-your-face, skinnier and taller version of BMeg teammate Marc Pingris who doesn't back down from anyone (ask Ali Peek) and is bound to draw the approval of the crowd. Will he get his minutes? Yes. Given the shortage of bigs on the Ginebra roster. Will he be a force? Can't say, his game still hasn't matured to the point where he can be a go to presence, but the fire and tenacity is quite undeniable. Again, all he really needs to do is grab rebounds and block shots.

Overall, Ginebra wins (BIG) again and while this trade may not be as lopsided on paper RIGHT NOW, Maierhofer and Maliksi are bound to be future stars in the league. I don't know if we can say the same thing about Aquino. And we're just waiting for YDO to fade into the shadows much like his predecessor, another grassroots big man who had all the potential (and skill) for superstardom but didn't realize it owing to his lack of consistency, Marlou Aquino.

The only ax I have over the whole trade is how little B-Meg is getting overall. Just YDO? For an SMC team in a three-team trade? They better get those 2014 draft picks. The Bulls? Don't say I didn't warn you. That team should be renamed to BARAKO BULLS CONDUITS.

UPDATE (as of 3 p.m., 11/16/11)!


Commissioner Chito Salud has approved the trade with some minor revisions:

Proposed:

BB: Aquino + Ginebra 2014 pick, 2015 pick

Ginebra: Maierhofer + Maliksi

BMeg: De Ocampo

Approved:

BB: Aquino + Ginebra 2013 pick

BMeg: De Ocampo + Ginebra 2012 pick

Ginebra: Maierhofer + Maliksi

Thank you Commissioner Chito for making the trade easier to bear for the non-Ginebra parties. Sounds just about right in my view, so another brilliant move by the PBA brass.