Let the madness ensue

Saan po yung biyaheng TNT?
(Photo credit to the owner)

Really, let it ensue. Let the madness that is the PBA pre-season wheeling and dealing commence!

Troy Rosario to Talk'n'Text, Kevin Alas to NLEX, Aldrech Ramos, Rob Reyes and Nino Canaleta to Mahindra

How can you not love this trade for TNT? They just landed this year's coveted 1st (Moala Tautuaa) and 2nd (Rosario) picks which basically ensures that they will remain a dominant force in the league for years to come. Don't hate on this so much if you happen to be anti-Team MVP, since this is basically the 2015 version of the 2010 mugging of Air21 wherein San Miguel basically and literally bought that year's 1st and 2nd picks-- Noy Baclao and Rabeh Al Hussaini. What goes around, comes around right? On the flip side, sister team NLEX will have to wait until sophomore Kevin Alas recovers from injury but once he does they should have one of the more exciting backcourts with Alas and rookie Garvo Lanete outside of GlobalPort's looming three-headed monster of Terrence Romeo, Stanley Pringle and Roi Sumang.

As for the odd man out-- the Mahindra Enforcers, they traded a potential star in Rosario to acquire three legitimate bigs who can start today. Canaleta at small forward as the token shooter, Ramos as the hybrid forward and Reyes coming in as the muscle of the bunch (that is if rookie Bradwyn Guinto doesn't displace him after the NCAA season). Initially, only Canaleta and Ramos were being reported to be included in this trade but with a third 6"5 body in Reyes, you can't really complain any more right?

Right?

The Grades:

TNT: A

NLEX: B

Kia: B

Brian Heruela to San Miguel, Jeric Fortuna to Barako Bull

How could you trade last season's leading assist man (by way of Blackwater) for a pint-sized 3rd stringer who sure as hell will never start for any title contender (sorry, just being honest here)? Heruela is reunited with his college big man, 2x PBA MVP Junemar Fajardo-- the way San Miguel went to acquire Denok Miranda to please former franchise player Arwind Santos (so they can play buddy ball). He'll have to earn his minutes behind Alex Cabagnot, but given Heruela's size, speed and offense, he can easily give Chris Ross a run for his money as Cabagnot's chief backup. Fortuna to Barako Bull... we would've liked it, since he can challenge for minutes... but then this trade came up so... (see below)

The Grades:

SMB: A

BB: C

Nico Salva + 2016 1st round pick to Ginebra, Jens Knuttel, Josh Urbiztondo and Emman Monfort to Barako Bull

And they did it. Again. Next year's 2016 PBA Draft will look like an ALL-SMC gig, much like this year's was ALL-MVP in the 1st round. Nico Salva is a solid player who is still young enough to learn the PBA brand under Coach Tim Cone. Unfortunately, he'll be playing for minutes at small forward against incumbent Chris Ellis, Mac Baracael and rookies Aljon Mariano and Lee Villamor. For Barako Bull, we don't know what's going to happen with the addition of 3 more point guards into the fold considering they have RR Garcia, Paolo Hubalde, Chico Lanete, Jeric Fortuna, oh, and some of the rookies they picked this year are point guards if we aren't mistaken. It's a good problem to have if you're Coach Koy Banal, but sucks overall for the players who are literally in a dog-eat-dog world. Our prediction? Garcia, Urbiztondo and Monfort will remain. The rest can either slide to shooting guard (Hubalde) or go find work elsewhere (ABL).

The Grades:

BGK: A

BB: A

TY Tang retires

It's a sad day for Rain or Shine fans as seven-year point guard Tang has opted to call it quits to concentrate on his family's businesseseseseses (mayaman sila). Steady point guard who, had he gone to another PBA team, would still be part of the regular rotation thanks to his hard-nosed defense, reliable jumpshot and low turnover rate.

Roi Sumang officially signs with GlobalPort

Props to Lawrence Chongson, Sumang (and Paul Lee's) manager for making this deal work and having his ward sign right away ahead of most of the PBA draftees. It's bad enough that his ward fell all the way to the 3rd round, so you could argue that this was more of Chongson trying to save face as a player-agent more than anything. Sumang's going to be signed, with his talent, that's a no brainer. But signed just two days after the Draft and ahead of everyone else and announce it to the world? That's a Chongson move. His rep as a player agent took a huge hit in this year's draft, so getting Sumang to sign right away allows him some form of breathing room.

Wonder what's going to happen tomorrow...