Up for sale

Here's a question that the media and those in the know seem to keep skirting around on: which PBA team will Manny V. Pangilinan buy for his NLEX Road Warriors?

We already know that NLEX wants in. Bad. We've heard Alaska rumors. Now we've been hearing a lot of Air21 rumors. Of the "Joseph Yeo Gentleman's Agreement" (didn't know that there was honor among thieves) getting in the way. Of how there are two teams (Air21 and, since their name was thrown out there earlier, Alaska) that are up for sale.

TWO.

Is it too late for either Blackwater or Kia to step in and buy the other one? Or maybe it's just a ploy being used by NLEX to help speed things up. As a bargaining chip against the team that they really want to purchase. Would make a lot of sense really-- say that there's this other team that's also up for sale but cheaper, but you're still taking to the concerned party out of delicadeza and so on.


What if NLEX buys into the Air21 franchise? Already in the fold are established stars Asi Taulava, Mac Cardona and Joseph Yeo. If indeed Yeo gets sent elsewhere, then having a revived 6"9 giant still counts as a win. Cardona, well, he's been under Team MVP before so they have an idea of what to expect of him. The rest are tradable assets down the line, specially Eliud Poligrates and Aldrech Ramos.

In any case, NLEX has the financial flexibility to get the right pieces sooner rather than later as proven over at their would be sister team Meralco. In case they have a tougher time than expected, they can always pry a star or two away from their mighty kuya Talk'n'Text say, build around Ranidel de Ocampo. Or give Ryan Reyes and Kelly Williams their own team and relive their Santa Lucia run?

How about Alaska?

If there's any truth to the rumors, then NLEX just hit the jackpot. There's a championship caliber team, with the system and players already in place. Sonny Thoss, Calvin Abueva, JVee Casio just need more seasoning together to really become one of the league's more formidable trios, while Gabby Espinas and Cyrus Baguio are arguably two of the best under-rated players in the league today.

The team, as it is today, already balances that masa-elitista feel for the game as well as in terms of fans. That being said, it's really unimaginable, unthinkable even, to have the madly competitive Mr Wilfred Uytengsu consider selling his team to anyone at any price.

Then again, we've been surprised by PBA teams so many times before.

If you were NLEX, which team would you buy? Why?