There are no plans to replace Akil Mitchell in the Meralco Bolts lineup even if he is currently nursing a broken nose. Mitchell is still expected to suit up as the Bolts's import both in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup and the EASL.
Coach Luigi Trillo has confirmed that Mitchell is a good a fit for the Bolts that the team is willing to wait for him to recover from the injury he sustained early in the game against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters last week.
Trillo said the 32-year-old Mitchell is set to undergo surgery and then play his comeback game possibly on Christmas Day while wearing a face mask.
The broken nose still has some swelling in it following the accidental hit by sophomore ROS big man Keith Datu, delaying the surgery.
"I know he’s supposed to get an operation on the 9th (December) and then when the swelling subsides, he already has his mask fitted, he can play," said Trillo.
"Looks like Akil can play on the 25th. It depends. It’s day to day."
In Mitchell’s absence, the Bolts brought in their EASL import DJ Kennedy, the former St. John’s college teammate of Barangay Ginebra import Justine Brownlee.
Kennedy made his league debut against Terrafirma last 6 December, finishing with a game-high 32 points, six rebounds, and four assists. He exploded for 19 points in the third quarter where the Bolts finally took control of the game.
With Mitchell sidelined, Kennedy is left as the lone import of Meralco in the EASL. Naturalized player Ange Kouame is playing as a local.
Will Meralco tap another import to play alongside Kennedy when it plays reigning Korean Basketball League champion Busan KCC Egis on the road on 18 December?
Trillo thumbed the idea down.
"We believe in Akil. Yung tao na yun, kahit one leg, he’ll play with one leg hurt," said the Meralco coach. "He can play without a mask. Akil is tough enough. So we won’t get another import to replace Akil."
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