PVL sister squads’ swap stopped in a snap

Nxled Chameleon’s Ivy Lacsina during the PVL All-Filipino Conference. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

On paper, the switch made sense.

Akari and Nxled shuffled their players and coaches to fit each other’s needs for the next Premier Volleyball League (PVL) conference.

The question now is if that paper ever becomes official. Because if it were up to PVL president Ricky Palou—and he has already warned teams about this—there would be no swapping players between sister teams.

PVL: Sister teams Akari, Nxled trade coaches, players–sources

“That’s not allowed. We told everybody starting this season no trades and no transfers among sister teams. We will stick to that,” said Palou after the unveiling of Alas Pilipinas on Wednesday at TV5 Media Center.

The idea Palou rejected was a trade that the Inquirer broke at midday Wednesday, with Akari acquiring coach Taka Minowa, young star Ivy Lacsina, Kamille Cal, Cams Victoria and Dani Ravena while in exchange, sending veteran Dindin Santiago-Manabat, Bang Pineda, Trisha Genesis, Roselle Baliton and Jaja Maraguinot to Nxled.

Multiple sources confirmed the swap to the Inquirer, adding that Raffy Mosuela, the Akari coach, will patrol the sidelion for the Chameleons as both teams also swapped coaching staffs, with the Chargers retaining Rodel Canino and Tina Salak.

The trade papers haven’t been communicated to the league office yet, Palou said.

“But I saw … I think one of their players is wearing the jacket of the sister team so I was thinking that there were talks already. But I said it’s not allowed,” Palou added.

No comment

Palou reiterated that the league prohibited trades between sister teams at the start of the 2024 season after former Choco Mucho players Bea De Leon and Denden Lazaro-Revilla transferred to sister team Creamline.

“I cannot allow [trades like that anymore] because otherwise, [sister squads] are the ones who will trade between each other,” Palou explained. “Once one team gets a good player, that team will trade it to the sister team. What’s the point?”

Among the sister squads in the PVL right now are Akari and Nxled, Creamline and Choco Mucho, Farm Fresh and Strong Group and Cignal and PLDT.

Inquirer Sports has sought Akari management for comments but it has yet to respond as of posting time.

Palou said the league is finalizing the draft rules, eyeing to stage the first-ever Rookie Draft in June or July.

“I told commissioner Sherwin [Malonzo] and everyone who is working on it to rush [the guidelines] because the teams are waiting for it already. Hopefully by this week, everything will be done,” he said.