PBA OK sought for deal sending Malonzo to Ginebra

Jamie Malonzo will give Barangay Ginebra added firepower.—PBA IMAGES

A blockbuster three-team trade that will have Jamie Malonzo going to Barangay Ginebra was being finalized Monday night, with management of NorthPort, the Gin Kings and San Miguel Beer to forward the proposal to the Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Office first thing on Tuesday.

This latest transaction comes on the heels of the league giving the green light on the controversial Calvin Oftana trade from NLEX to TNT with Blackwater as conduit, but the Malonzo deal far eclipses that with the Gin Kings to acquire someone who could possibly take the place of Stanley Pringle.

The terms of the deal were being finalized as of this writing, but a source privy to that said Ginebra will give up Jeff Chan, Prince Caperal, Kent Salado and the promising Arvin Tolentino for the Kings to get their hands on Malonzo, a high-flier who could be more exciting than Pringle.

San Miguel is set to give up streak-shooter Von Pesumal and future draft rights.

“The team wants to complete its front line [with Caperal] and is excited at the prospect of having Tolentino,” a NorthPort source told the Inquirer over the phone, minutes before the meeting to finalize the deal started.

Malonzo tallied averages of more than 17 points and 10 rebounds a contest for the Batang Pier in the Philippine Cup, which earned him inclusion to the Gilas Pilipinas team that played window four of the Fiba (International Basketball Federation) World Cup qualifying recently.

Tolentino, meanwhile, tossed in close to 12 points a contest for the Kings and is on the wish list of Chot Reyes for the Gilas squad that will play the fifth window in October.

Oftana can now start practicing with the Tropang Giga as the Commissioner’s Cup gets off the ground on Wednesday, while Troy Rosario, the other principal figure in the deal, can start getting acquainted with the Blackwater system.

Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, the top pick for the season, is now with NLEX, who also acquired two future picks from the Bossing as the deal was tweaked before gaining approval.

The first proposal was for Blackwater to also give up the injured Paul Desiderio, an item which was thumbed down by the league’s trade committee. INQ