PBA: Is Terrence Romeo a peace offering?
Barely a day after we tackled the alleged PBA trade involving Terrence Romeo, a credible news source has reported that there is indeed something brewing.
According to the Inquirer, the flamboyant high scoring guard is on the trading block. Further, the former King Tamaraw alleged sought a trade as early as midway of last season.
Initial talks between GlobalPort and the Meralco Bolts went underway as early as the PBA Commissioners’ Cup though both sides have yet to strike a deal. Batang Pier allegedly wants Chris Newsome and Baser Amer in exchange for Romeo.
Romeo wants a championship
Like most basketball stars, the report further adds that the reason behind the trade request is because Romeo wants to play for a championship-caliber squad. Ironically, TnT KaTropa was also in the running for Romeo.
The only problem is that TnT was not willing to give up Mo Tautuua. KaTropa was only willing to trade off any of its small men.
Questionable timing
Now that the cat is out of the bag, critics are bound to take shots at PBA Commissioner Chito Narvasa. He remains the top man in the pro league until a final decision is passed down.
Curiously, GlobalPort was one of the five teams that batted for Narvasa. The others were San Miguel Beer, Ginebra, Star and Kia. With the PBA unfortunately divided right now, revealing the trade at this point comes a bit of a surprise.
Peace offering?
One cannot help but think that the suggested trade involving Romeo could be tied up with Narvasa’s decision on the controversial SMB-Kia trade. The MVP Group was also eyeing Fil-German Christian Standhardinger but the Beermen beat them to it according to another report from the Inquirer.
With Standhardinger seemingly beyond reach, one cannot help but link Romeo as a possible peace offering. With TnT out, seeing the rising young guard join Meralco makes sense but at a hefty cost. Be guided that this is merely a theory and should be taken with a grain of salt.
Normally, high-profile trades take time to close. Romeo, Newsome and Amer are players who have made a name for themselves. Now that the deal has been made public, it may only be a matter of time before it becomes official. The verdict will likely be passed down after the PBA Board convenes in Los Angeles where the fate of Narvasa hangs in the balance.
