PBA: Biggest trading season, draft in 2021
THERE is an ongoing PBA Philippine Cup in the Pampanga bubble. It has been an exciting week in basketball, as we get treated to daily doubleheaders. After the NBA Finals.
I’ve always thought the Conferences should be more compressed. Sometimes, PBA teams only play four times in a month, and that’s too little exposure. The 11- game elimination is drawn out to three months. It’s too long.
Watching the PBA on a daily basis can bring fans back into the habit. Perhaps this schedule is too compressed, but these are extraordinary circumstances. However, if the PBA returns next season, with a full schedule (hopefully), then maybe they should consider having at least two games a week per team.
In the meantime, let’s all enjoy our daily hoops. We’ve gone for months without it.
Major shakeup in PBA
This Philippine Cup would be the only title at stake for the PBA this year, but by next year, there would be a ton of changes. San Miguel Beer is due for a retool and they would definitely make moves.
Magnolia has a ton of guards, and they have to play four guards with Ian Sangalang. This is not a sustainable look. In the final minutes of their game against Alaska, they had to bench Banchero simply because there were too many guards (Lee, Barroca, Jalalon). They would definitely need to unload someone from this rotation and try to find a reliable big — which is a rare commodity nowadays.
In the meantime, TNT has quietly built a juggernaut, taking the best players in their empire ( Erram, Parks). The MVP group will likely proceed to build their other teams, specifically NLEX who is now at the cellar.
If the two empires are motivated to make transactions, the rest of the league will definitely follow — willingly or not.
The PBA Season 46 Draft set in January 2021 will be one of the biggest in years. The league is in transition, with more veterans likely to retire. Teams have real needs (the aforementioned big men) and player agents are on high alert. With the PBA relaxing the D-League requirement, and the college tournaments still uncertain, this is the best time to punch their ticket.
Players who are still waiting for the return of the UAAP and the NCAA may get tired of the uncertainty, and the fact that some of the schools are financially challenged may be a signal that they should just join the draft.
The PBA is also swinging for the fences, and they need the boost from the college stars after a disappointing draft and the pandemic. Even the biggest corporations took a hit, and they would definitely need a shot in the arm.
NBA trade rumors
Various trade scenarios are shaping in the NBA, and if the champion team airs their intention of making moves, then there would definitely be movement. Usually, the champion stays put, and there would be 29 other teams working the phone lines. But the Lakers’ pursuit of CP3 has been substantiated, even at the speculation level.
There won’t be any prime free agent movements and the draft has not been interesting. Thus, the dissatisfied teams will have no recourse but to explore the trade market.
Keep an eye on the Houston Rockets. GM Daryl Morey has left his post after 13 years and since Morey is Harden’s biggest fan/defender, then the Rockets may actually consider moving on from their small ball experiment. After all, the Maestro of Seven Seconds or Less, Mike D’Antoni has already left.
Houston may want to get assets for the future since they already traded those away for the failed Finals’ runs. If a former MVP — or even two, hit the trade market, there will be ripples all over the league.