Guiao finally hears from Lee: Trade me

PAUL Lee has reportedly given Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao a call yesterday and asked to be traded, leaving the Elasto Painters no choice but to train their sights on three backcourt aces to tap as the second overall choice in today’s 2014 PBA Gatorade Rookie Draft at Robinson’s Place in Manila.

Lee finally phoned Guiao from Spain after reports said that the fiery coach had wanted to hear it straight from the star point guard who will be playing two international tournaments for Gilas Pilipinas starting with the World Cup in Seville in less than a week.

Guiao, in turn, has now pruned down the Painters’ options mainly on Kevin Alas and Fil-Americans Matt Ganuelas and Chris Banchero as they pick second behind Globalport in today’s draft that starts at 4 p.m.

“There are a lot of players there who can help us win games,” Guiao told the Inquirer over the phone. “Right now, our prospects are down to those backcourt players with Jake Pascual also an option.”

Lee refused to sign Rain or Shine’s three-year extension offer of the maximum allowable salary that would total a little over P15 million, fueling a lot of speculations on why the former Rookie of the Year winner wants to leave the Rain or Shine team that treated him as family for the last three years.

The Batang Pier will select Stanley Pringle first overall, with team officials saying that they have already come to terms with the 6-foot-2 point guard who has played as an import in many professional leagues overseas.

After the Painters, Barako Bull, NLEX, Barangay Ginebra, San Miguel Beer, San Mig Coffee (acquired from Barako Bull), Barako Bull (from Talk ‘N Text), Rain or Shine, Barako Bull (from San Mig), KIA and Blackwater will have their turns in that order in the first round.

The pool of 87 hopefuls is full of talented small men but is lacking the quality big men that teams can use to rebuild.

Before the Lee case surfaced, Guiao had said that they were even thinking of trading away the No. 2 pick just to be able to get a big man.

Others who loom as likely first round selections are Rodney Brondial, Rome dela Rosa, Prince Caperal, Anthony Semerad, Jericho Cruz, Kyle Pascual, Pepot Paredes and cousins Gab Banal, Jonathan Banal and Frank Golla.