Poor-starting Gin Kings eye Slaughter

Greg Slaughter may finally suit up for the struggling Barangay Ginebra side, hoping to play in their next game against Blackwater on Friday at the Alonte Sports Arena in Laguna.

“There’s a possibility he might play Friday,” said Ginebra coach Tim Cone.

“Obviously if he plays, he will be on minutes restriction. We won’t play him full minutes. And needless to say, we have to be very careful with him,” Cone added.

Playing full or even limited minutes, Slaughter could well provide some boost to the Gin Kings who are off to a struggling start in the mid-season tourney, suffering an 89-108 blowout at the hands of the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters then dropping a close match against the TNT KaTropa Texters, 92-96.

Late import recruit Chuck Garcia was of little help to the Kings’ cause and his fate could be up in the air with Justin Brownlee done with his stint with San Miguel Alab Pilipinas in the ABL.

“You’ll know if and when, or whatever we decide on it,” said Cone after the Kings reeled to their second straight loss Sunday night.

But Cone is not putting the blame just on their import.

“I know all eyes are on our import. But it’s more than that. Our locals are not playing as well either. We’re not just playing a high level at this point,” said Cone.

The Kings have seemed to lose energy since losing Slaughter to a severe ankle sprain in the recent Philippine Cup.

The 7-1 giant missed the entire all-Filipino post-elims play, and the Kings succumbed against the eventual champs San Miguel Beermen in five games in their best-of-seven semifinal playoff.

A puzzle for Cone is to play a big or a small import on the current condition of Slaughter.

Earlier, they decided to send Shane Edwards home to give room to Garcia.

“When we first contracted Shane Edwards, we believed Greg would be healthy and available to play, and Shane could play alongside him. But with Greg’s injury, we feel that we need someone to replace Greg rather than play alongside him,” Cone said then.

But it turned out Garcia couldn’t give the Kings the inside presence they need, at least in the team’s first two games.

Garcia was good for only 15 points and nine rebounds versus TNT Sunday. He’s not any better in his PBA debut against ROS.

But help may be on the way from Slaughter.