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.

Paul Artadi to Meralco

Unlike his kumpare James, Artadi has been traded
numerous times in his pro career

As approved by the PBA Commissioner's Office, Paul Artadi has been traded to the Meralco Bolts for Chico Lanete. Where this latest acquisition of the Bolts goes, nobody knows for sure other than the fact that Artadi will be reunited with former Purefoods/ BMeg coach Ryan Gregorio.

At the Bolts camp, Artadi will presumably be playing behind star Sol Mercado (who masquerades as a Derrick Rose-like power point guard) and even Fil-Am Chris Ross (and just a hairline in front of Chris Timberlake). There's no question that based on the four point guards' collective reps alone, Gregorio is looking for his team to run (perhaps after the Powerade protoype).

Now if only they could get Jason Ballesteros to bulk up and quit being timid in the paint.

As for the Barako Bulls and Chico Lanete- well, he'll either put up solid numbers as Willie Miller's back-up, or even an eventual starter once the Lina-owned franchise go back to their old ways and trade vets for cash.