After Terrafirma expressed their willingness to sit down with any team and discuss the possibiity of trading Christian Standhardinger, shoukd the Meralco Bolts jump at this opportunity and try to convince the prized big man to come out of retirement?
The 35-year-old Standhardinger retired just before the start of the Commissioner's Cup after playing for just six games in the Governors' Cup since arriving in a controversial trade with Barangay Ginebra.
The former PBA Finals MVP and two-time Best Player of the Conference winner was acquired by Terrafirma together with Stanley Pringle in a trade with Ginebra for the pair of Rookie of the Year Stephen Holt and Isaac Go and a swap of draft picks.
Standhardinger's Ginebra contract which Terrafirma inherited expires at the end of the year, but the perennial league cellar-dwellers will retain his signing rights in the event he makes a comeback in the league by making a token offer.
The top pick of the 2017 PBA Rookie Draft is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent if he plays in six more conferences in the league. This means after about 2 years of playing, when he is 37 years old, he can choose which team he wants to play.
However, based on his numbers last years, surely, there remains a strong demand for the Bulldozer who has played on four PBA championship teams and three SEA Games gold medal national squads.
The question is, will the Meralco Bolts willing to take this chance and secure hisservices in the next two years? Who are they willing to trade him for? Brandon Bates and a couple of draft picks?
If the Meralco management decides to ursue the 6-foot-8 Fil-German player, it will give them the heft and bulk to defend their All-Filipino crown. Together with Raymond Almazan and Cliff Hodge, they can form a formidable frontline wall.
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