Adducul’s Trade Imminent: Who can afford him?

Some good things never last.

After one year of partnership that resulted in a championship title, LBC Batangas and its franchise player Romel Adducul are severing ties in the Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA).

Concurrent president and chairman Santi Araneta, team owner of the 2001 MBA national champion Batangas Blades, said yesterday during the PSA Forum at the Holiday Inn Manila, that they are ready to trade Adducul to any other team in the four year-old league.

One big problem though. Because of the huge salary of the 6-foot-5 player, who is reportedly earning a maximum pay of P500,000 every month, there seem to be no takers at the moment.

"With his talent, of course there are lots of teams interested in getting his (Adducul) services," said Araneta, who was with newly-appointed MBA commissioner Chito Loyzaga and business and marketing director Ramon Tuason.

"But because of his maximum salary, which is about half a million, teams interested in acquiring his services are thinking twice," added Araneta, who also cited Adducul’s inclusion in the national training pool bound for the 2002 Asian Games in Pusan, South Korea.

Tuason, for his part, said the TPG-bankrolled Davao Eagles have sent feelers in acquiring the one-time Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the MBA.

"Davao has indicated its intention of getting Adducul through a letter to commissioner Loyzaga. But there is no finality because we have not talked to Davao management yet," said Tuason.