Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — Phoenix is adding another tested veteran to its fold for its all-Filipino campaign in the upcoming PBA season.
The Fuel Masters acquired three-time champion, Solomon Mercado from NorthPort, for LA Revilla and Rey Guevarra in a trade approved by the PBA on Monday afternoon.
Mercado is set to bring plenty of playoff and finals experience to a relatively young Phoenix side.
The defensive playmaker was an essential cog in the Gin Kings’ three title runs from 2016 through 2018.
Mercado then, embraced a much more senior role over at NorthPort, which recently dealt a stunning upset of top-seeded NLEX in the recently-concluded Governors’ Cup.
Revilla and Guevarra, meanwhile, join a Batang Pier crew longing for a proper reset following the absence of their top rookie Robert Bolick to an injury and the mid-conference arrival of star forward Christian Standhardinger, who was named Best Player of the Conference in the Governors’ Cup.
The 35-year-old Mercado is the second guard acquired by Phoenix in just a span of four days. The Fuel Masters on Thursday got the services of Brian Heruela from Blackwater in exchange for Ron Dennison.