ALL the clouds of uncertainties surrounding the controversial three-team, six-player trade between sister teams TNT and NLEX as well as Blackwater were finally put to rest yesterday.
The PBA yesterday approved the trade that had the Tropang Giga sending big man Troy Rosario and backup wingman Gab Banal to the Road Warriors for ace sophomore Calvin Oftana.
NLEX then shipped Rosario and Banal to the Bossing for Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser and Paul Desiderio.
TNT also got burly center Raul Soyud, while the trade committee tweaked the earlier packages and added two future second-round picks (2022 and 2025) in lieu of the injured and free agent Desiderio.
The 6-foot-7 Rosario, a former National University standout, suited up for six years for TNT after he was tabbed second overall in the 2015 draft and acquired by the Manny V. Pangilinan-owned ballclub in a separate three-team trade that also involved the Road Warriors and Mahindra (now Terrafirma), the franchise that picked him behind No. 1 overall selection Mo Tautuaa.
Blackwater coach Ariel Vanguardia said Rosario and Banal would certainly give his team the much-needed playoff boost.
“We would like to build on our playoff run last conference. Troy and Gab give us a lot of playoff experience,” Vanguardia told Malaya-Business Insight yesterday.
“This is professional sports. . . Changes are expected. We can only be judged by the results that this will bring us,” he added.
Tropang Giga coach Chot Reyes said it was tough to let Rosario and Banal go.
“Mixed feelings really. Troy is the consummate pro and ideal team player. He gave us everything he had and more. Gab, too, never gave us any problems in the short stint he had here,” Reyes said.
“But such is the nature of this profession. In our desire to improve and prepare for the future, we had to make this tough, tough decision. I wish both Troy and Gab the very best.”
Hobbled by an assortment of injuries, Rosario was good for 10.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game for the Tropang Giga in the last PBA Philippine Cup.
Oftana averaged 17.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.6 steals per game last conference after he was taken third overall two years ago by NLEX.
Oftana, a former NCAA MVP with San Beda University and now a member of the Gilas Pilipinas national team training pool, will team up with reigning Rookie of the Year and gunner Mikey Williams.
The Road Warriors, then under coach Yeng Guiao, planned to select Williams with their fourth pick after landing Oftana but management opted to trade the selection to TNT.
The bull-strong Ganuelas-Rosser was the first overall pick in the last draft. He averaged 11.1 points and 3.5 rebounds per game for the Bossing in the season-opening tourney.
