Trade Reaction: Sol Train to Ginebra

Palit jerseys.
(Photo credits to the owner)

Call it a "new lease on life."

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel has chosen to send spitfire shooting guard Joseph "The Ninja" Yeo to sister team Barako Bull in exchange for point guard Sol "Sol Train" Mercado, in a deal that benefits both squads instead of the usual "highway robbery/ blatant PBA fan trolling" that we have grown accustomed to whenever the Bert Lina franchise is involved.

Since Ginebra is the more popular of the two teams, let us discuss what adding Mercado to the mix means to the franchise moving forward, before we get to Barako Bull.

First and foremost, we cannot help but be delighted for Mercado who has received some unfair treatment and criticism the last few conferences. Basically, Mercado went from being "white hot" with Rain or Shine and Meralco, only to lose his way bouncing around with GlobalPort (wherein he tried to play nice and do the whole "mentor" thing), Petron/ San Miguel Beer (where he pretty much "bought in" to "fit in" which they turned out not to like) and finally with Barako Bull (which you could say is his "That Thing Called Tadhana" soul-searching phase because he was asked to go back to his Sol Train ways after flirting with being a full-time role player).

So what is next for the Sol Train?


Well he isn't going to take L.A. Tenorio's spot, that's for sure. And though people are going crazy over the possibility of Mercado being Mark Caguioa's true heir apparent... we like him, but not to the point wherein we would abandon basic logic.

If Coach Frankie Lim could find a balance between the role playing Mercado and the Sol Train of old, then that would be the ideal fit for the kind of team he is trying to build (which we feel, is going to mirror his old Sam Ekwe San Beda, with Greg Slaughter having to learn or die trying to play the Ekwe role). Mercado is not going to come in and be asked to turn into a stopper, or a two-way player. No. Mercado is in there for firepower and ball-handling. Caguioa and Jayjay Helterbrand has held the team hostage long enough, Tenorio is almost at the brink of going crazy because he was asked to carry the team for the bulk of last year without any thanks while Eman Monfort is still pint-sized at best.

But Mercado? He will be a good fit, specially if he can form a bond on the court (because off it they are the #BrotherhoodFromEastwood) with Josh Urbiztondo as a sort of, Cali Fast and the Furious redux. Mercado with the power drives, Urbiztondo as the sniper from downtown.

BAYSIDE CALI SWAG UP IN THIS Bbbb..BARANGAY!

Even if Coach Frankie chooses to play Mercado with Tenorio and Caguioa, Ginebra will not be at a disadvantage given Mercado's size and strength. He still has an explosive first step and that 3-ball has improved somewhat so there should be little to no questions about if Mercado still has "it."

What Mercado needs to do is to stay confident and positive, and just go back to playing Sol Train basketball which is what got him into the PBA in the first place. Enough of this laid back, role playing shit. This guy can ball with the best (and we have seen it!).

Whew.

Okay, on to Barako Bull and Joseph Yeo then.

We. Love. It.

We do.

Because Joseph Yeo has all the tools to become a legitimate PBA superstar shooting guard in the mold of a Mark Caguioa (he is exciting to watch) and even at an older age still looks like a college player/ matinee idol (James Yap). What he did not really enjoy or what distanced Yeo from going up in terms of popularity was that he played for Coca Cola and did not get the minutes, then to a small market team like Santa Lucia, oh, and all those reputation-ruining fights/ altercations with Enrico Villanueva.

But Yeo to Barako Bull?

Who is his competition over there? James Forrester?

Forrester was good in college, but Yeo is PBA proven.

The move basically solves Barako Bull head coach Koy Banal's earlier problem of figuring out which among R.R. Garcia, Carlo Lastimosa, Mercado and Chico Lanete would like to score the basketball for the team.

Give that spot to Yeo and slowly work Forrester in.

Garcia and Lanete as your point guards. Lastimosa to be banished back to the D-League until he gets his rhythm back.

Win-win for both teams, IMHO.

What do you think of the trade? Hit us up on @kilikilishot on Twitter!