KKS Trade Reaction: Monfort to NLEX

Where did this guy's game go?
(Photo credit: Slamonline.ph)

Remember when we used to laud Marnel "Mac" Baracael as possibly the best two-way and PBA-ready player of the SMART Gilas I lot? A roster that boasts of Chris Tiu, JVee Casio, Mark Barroca and even the then unproven Fil-Am pair of Marcio Lassiter and Chris Lutz? We were that high on him, because he was that good a player.

Until he got drafted into the PBA.

For whatever reason, Baracael lost his way from being a legit "3 and D" guy who could cover spots 1 to 4 and somehow transformed into a mindless jackass, err, jacker. Defense? What defense?

This is why Emman Monfort's name is on this entry's title and not Baracael's. Because the 5"6 point guard who came out of the Ateneo basketball program has managed to make a name for himself in the pros, even when most had him pencilled as a future non-rotation player a.k.a. ABL/ D-League/ PCBL starter (this writer included).

On to the grades then.

(Photo credit: to the owner)

NLEX
Eman Monfort, PG
As a player, Monfort is a coach's dream point guard. He can handle the ball and distribute, he makes correct and efficient passes be it in the half court or breaks, he can play pesky on-ball defense and is not afraid to take (and make) the big shots.

If only he were 6"0.

At NLEX, Monfort will give Coach Boyet Fernandez a more "stable" PG as compared to Kevin Alas who is really a scorer by trade (a fact that Coach Boyet seems to be in complete denial of). Hopefully, Monfort's entry will allow Alas to slide over to his natural 2 spot and maybe spell veteran Jonas Villanueva who has been masquerading as an ill-equipped SG for some time now.
Grade: A

Mac Baracael, SF
This could be the "fresh, new environment" that Baracael needs to be able to relive his Gilas I glory days. He will most likely play behind incumbent Sean Anthony, which isn't a bad thing at all. If he can knock down his 3s and play adequate defense, Baracael is already ahead of the guy who is most likely being groomed to be someone of his mold: rookie Glenn Khobuntin. That, or Mac could share stories with MacMac (Cardona) on the bench for years to come.
Grade: C

Phoenix
Simon Enciso, PG 
A gifted player who could light up the scoreboard on any given night. Phoenix is getting a solid rookie here, since even in limited bursts for NLEX Enciso would casually norm 10 ppg. If Enciso and Coach Koy Banal could see eye-to-eye, we wouldn't be surprised if the once dubbed "Filipino D-Rose" quickly becomes the team's go-to-guy either at the PG or SG spots (which is now a possibility thanks to another recent trade that we will discuss separately). Now is the time for Enciso to show us what he is truly made of, and if the "hype" going into the pros is legit.
Grade: A

Mark Borboran, PF
Is it too late now for Borboran to turn things around for himself? Will he be remembered as a jumpshooting big man who was too thin and soft to really play power forward, and too slow to move to the wings?
Grade: B

What are your thoughts on this trade? Who won? Who lost? Who will breakout first?