PBA Trade Rumor: The Ninja to Air21

Ritualo. Atkins. Sharma. Yeo. #ibalikangbigote
(Photo courtesy of PBA InterAKTV)

If reports are correct, then arguably one of the most prolific collegiate scorers in history is going to get a chance to resuscitate his PBA career in the next few days. Joseph Yeo, the now de facto 11th to 12th man of the Petron Blaze Boosters, is part of a looming semi-blockbuster trade that also indirectly involves long time PBA All Star and national team player Kerby Raymundo of Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.

Next is our attempt at breaking down this possible trade, naming winners and losers, and even looking at what's in store in the near future.


Trade 1

Air21 Express gets: Joseph Yeo

Remember when Yeo weighed less and played more often? You don't have to rewind that far back to his days in the UAAP when he inherited the "holy mantle" from buddy Mac Cardona after playing the 6th man role to the hilt. Yeo was doing just fine early in his PBA career with the Santa Lucia Realtors when he was the de facto "spark plug" usually coming in for Ryan Reyes and playing with point guard/ stopper Denok Miranda (who, just like Yeo, is languishing on the Petron bench). For those who never really paid enough attention, Yeo was to SLR what Paul Lee is to Rain or Shine today (minus the heady point guard skills). He was the team's sole creator on offense and was allowed to free lance and take shots which he usually made (he averaged a career high 13 plus points and around 2 assists in 26 minutes in 2008-2009). Like a chubbier, chinito version of Mark Caguioa (back when the reigning PBA MVP was still sporting bleached hair). 

What happened?

San Miguel/ Petron happened. Yeo's inability to play proper defense, his erratic shot selection and need for the basketball just didn't mesh with Petron and its already established stars. A trade to Air21 and reunion with college coach Franz Pumaren almost guarantees at least 20 minutes a night for the man touted as "The Ninja." Who knows, maybe after shaking off some bench rust Yeo will have a "rebirth" of sorts with the Ube Republic.

Kung si Bonbon Custodio nga binababad e.

Petron Blaze Boosters gets: Nelbert Omolon
Being a long time Realtors fan (in the post-Robert Jaworski, Sr. era, sempre Ginebra tayo nung anjan pa si Jawo), we feel for Omolon or "Super Bitoy" to us green-and-white die-hards. From just another athlete, Omolon worked hard to establish himself first as one of the league's top perimeter defenders and then its best under-rated inside operators since Freddie Abuda of San Miguel Beermen fame. Minutes? What minutes? At the small forward spot there are Arwind Santos, Jason Deutchman and even guys like Chris Lutz and Marcio Lassiter. Power forward? Doug Kramer when they go big, Santos small. Plus the import. Sigh.

Trade 2

Air21 Express gets: Kerby Raymundo
Raymundo, as proven last PBA Commissioner's Cup, still has it. He proved us all wrong then, we still see him proving us wrong now-- but only if he's playing in the right system. Is he healthy enough to anchor a team on both ends? Doubtful on defense. But Franz Pumaren's teams have never been known to be elite low post stoppers.If anything, you can probably hope that they relive DLSU during the Mark Telan/ Don Allado days when they had one key big man playing the low to high post, and prolific guards just spreading the floor. Raymundo, when healthy, can be a true difference maker for this team and might be the missing link to at least get them over sister team Barako Bull or struggling GlobalPort. The rest of the competition? Well, they'll still need a legit banger to compete (Carlo Sharma, perhaps?)

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel gets: James Sena, 2014 PBA 1st round draft pick
Sena to Ginebra. Won't get any love from where we are. There's Japeth Aguilar and Billy Mamaril. There's the low post playing import Dior Lowhorn. There's Willy Wilson. Rico Maierhofer. Elmer Espiritu. The list goes on and on really. What we're really looking at here is what Ginebra does with that 2014 1st round pick. Some are calling it a steal since it could possibly land Ginebra a big time collegiate star (say, Bobby Ray Parks, Jr). But that's IF Air21 struggles anew and... what the hell are we saying, of course they'll struggle lol.

Biggest winner? Joseph Yeo. Because he'll finally get his "shot" at being "The Man" in the PBA. Loser? Air21. Because seriously, who believes that this team will make another magical, Cinderella run to the Finals? Yep. No one. Even if they did, guys would be traded the very next conference. We're still waiting what the Meralco Bolts plan on doing, since it's been no secret that they want Raymundo- bad.

Hari ng padala!