Purefoods import Daniel Orton tries to get past Kia import PJ Ramos. PBA Images/Nuki Sabio
MANILA, Philippines— The Purefoods Star Hotshots have decided to let go of their import Daniel Orton and send him back home after he was fined P250,000 by the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) for saying Many Pacquiao’s venture into the PBA is a “joke” and that game officials are “making a mockery” of the game.
A report from Spin.ph said Purefoods governor Rene Pardo has told Orton not to report for practice since Friday.
“’Di na siya (Orton) pinag-ensayo kasi papalitan na namin siya,” Pardo was quoted as saying in the report.
The report said Purefoods would bring back former best import Denzel Bowles in the team, adding that the foreign reinforcement arrived in the Philippines at 4 a.m. Saturday.
It said Bowles would immediately join the practice of the team this Saturday.
Pardo is hopeful that Bowles would make the 6’9” height limit but said that his team was ready to play with an all-Filipino crew if Bowles fails to make the height requirement.
In a statement issued on Friday, PBA commissioner Chito Salud said that Orton “issued comments that are disparaging, disrespectful of and offensive to his host league.”
“This insulting behavior will never be condoned by this league,” Salud said.
RELATED STORIES
Purefoods import calls Pacquiao the professional basketball player a ‘joke’
Import Orton fined P250K for ‘offensive comments’ to PBA, Pacquiao