Meralco Bolts 2012 Commissioner's Cup Schedule

There will be several changes at the Meralco Bolts camp when the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) second conference of the season starts on 10 February 2010. Both the roster and the coaching staff got a boost when key transactions and positioning were made by the management.

First to be overhauled was the point guard position when Chico Lanete was sent to the Barako Bull in exchange for Paul Artadi.

Another Head-Scratching Trade Coming Up

Maybe in an effort to diffuse the negative publicity of their reported reacquisition of Coca-Cola bottling company, SMC is rumoured to be offering Rabah Al-Hussaini, the college star who helped Ateneo win two of its four consecutive UAAP championships and the PBA rookie of the year last season, to Shopinas.com in exchange for a No. 1 pick in this year's PBA rookie draft.

Major dailies published a report implying that talks are currently under way for the 23-year-old, 6-foot-7 center to join the league's newest team which will carry the name Air21 starting in the Commissioner's Cup which opens 10 February 2012.

An update implied that Air21 is holding back for now,but if the trade happens, it was supposed to boost each team's future endeavours, especially for Air21, which lost all of its 14 games in the just-concluded All-Filipino conference. However, many doubt any changes in their game will happen overnight despite the trade primarily because of their laughable and uncompetitive line-up compared to other roster in the league.

David to Get Maximum Deal

First it was Kerby Raymundo who took advantage of the new salary ceiling for PBA stars to negotiate for the maximum pay of PhP 420,000 per month from the SMC management. Now it was the turn of Powerade top gun Gary David, who consistently dished off A-1 performance in the recently concluded PBA Philippine Cup, to demand for a three-year contract-extension deal worth PhP 15.1 million.

David's existing contract is to expire July but it was rumored that he's been assured by the Coca-Cola team management of a new pact also involving a monthly pay of PhP 420,000.

How About "Ang Panglina Basketball Association (APBA")?

If reports about the San Miguel group adding a fourth team with the reacquisition of Coca-Cola bottling company are true, then the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) may consider changing its name to Ang Panglina Basketball Association (APBA). Fans are already trickling each and every play date because of unconfirmed observation that there exist game fixing and player accommodation between sister-teams and under-the-table deals to go around the salary cap, but this latest rumoured deal may have sealed it all for the professional league.

It was not a long time ago when powerful owners with multiple stakes in the league block the entry of an independent and budding company Phoenix Fuel. Phoenix Fuel was supposed to acquire the franchise of the Barako Bull, but it failed to capture a two-thirds vote (seven out of 10), getting six nods and missing the grade by a single vote.