Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Former MVP Asi Taulava had a talk with NLEX management and coach Yeng Guiao on Monday night and said that he would stay as a Road Warrior and help the team the best he can for the rest of the PBA Philippine Cup eliminations.
Reports of the 43-year-old Taulava asking to be traded surfaced a couple of weeks ago after his playing time under new coach Guiao diminished significantly.
Team and player, according to team manager Ronald Dulatre, were able to agree on something, with Taulava reportedly telling Guiao that his statements were just “out of frustration.”
“Asi wants to stay,” Dulatre said. “And he promised that he will do whatever he can to help the team win.”
Taulava was NLEX’s pillar of strength under Boyet Fernandez,
averaging more than 30 minutes and a double-double last season.
But Guiao has introduced a new system—the same one that made all his past teams great—which Taulava couldn’t fit in. NLEX also brought in Bradwyn Guinto from Mahindra and he has taken the starting center spot for the Road Warriors.
NLEX is at the bottom of the 12-team pack, tied with the Floodbusters at 1-5, after losing its last five games.
It is not unusual that this team is struggling, considering that Guiao had just taken over and is trying to instill a totally different game—the run and gun type that made his last team, Rain or Shine, champion for two conferences in his six years at the helm.
NLEX has five games to go and would need nothing less than a sweep to get into the playoffs.