Ito’y matapos i-disapprove ni Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner Noli Eala ang kontrobersiyal na three-way trade na kinasangkutan ng pitong players.
Walang nalabag na alituntunin ng liga sa trading sa pagitan ng sister teams ngunit nagkaroon ng problema sa isang item ukol sa Contractual Rights.
Inaprobahan ni Eala ang pagsasalin kina Ryan Bernardo at ang 2007 at 2008 draft picks sa CocaCola kapalit nina Rafi Reavis at Billy Mamaril kasama ang rights kay Rudy Hatfield.
Pasado rin ang pagsasalin kina Mamaril at Reavis sa Ginebra kapalit nina Kalani Ferreria, Aries Dimaunahan at Ervin Sotto at Manny Ramos na 2006 second round pick ng Beermen na nakuha ng Ginebra mula sa San Miguel sa isang trade na kinasangkutan ni Migs Noble at future first round pick.
Gayunpaman, ang huling item sa three-way trade, ang pagsasalin ng Air21 kina Ferreria at Manny Ramos kasama ang 2006 second round pick ng Beermen at future first round pick na kapalit nito ay isasauli ng Tigers ang 2007 at 2008 first round picks at ang 2008 second round pick ng Coke ay may nilabag na alituntunin sa PBA.
Sa naturang item, hindi maaaring bawiin ng Air21 ang kanilang naitrade na 2007 at 2008 first round picks.
"Item 2.a Return of Air21 Express’ 2007 and 2008 first round picks does not conform to the existing rules of- the PBA based on Article III, paragraph 4 of item 3.04 under Contractual Rights which is applied herein by analogy, to wit:
" A Member who has transferred its rights to the services of a Player may not reacquire such rights- prior to the end of the Season in which the transfer occurred, or, if the transfer occurred between Seasons, prior to the end of the next succeeding Season; provided, however, that the foregoing prohibition shall not only apply in the event the Transferee shall have first offered the services of such Player to all other Members thru the waiver procedure," ayon sa memorandum ni Eala kina team managers Lito Alvarez ng Air21, Hector Calma ng Coke at Allan Caidic ng Ginebra.
Gayunpaman, maaari pa ring matuloy ang trade na ito kung rerebisahin ng tatlong koponan ang huling item ng trade.
Nagkaroon ng imbestigasyon sa naturang three-way trade matapos pumalag ang ibang member team ng PBA partikular na ang Sta. Lucia dahil pinagdudahang ginamit lamang na tulay ang Air21 para palakasin ang Ginebra na sinasabing siyang may malaking pakinabang sa naturang trade. (Mae Balbuena)