TnT wants to match Miller’s P12.6-M tag

Talk n Text might match the P12.6 million, three-year contract Red Bull Barako earlier dangled on one-time PBA MVP awardee Willie Miller.

Talk n Text team manager Frankie Lim bared this as he was to meet with Miller’s adviser-agent Molet Pineda yesterday afternoon at the start of their negotiation for the 5-foot-10 guard’s playing pact with the Phone Pals.

"Actually, it all depends on the negotiation pero pwedeng umabot sa maximum for three years," Lim told The STAR.

Earlier in the day, team owner Manny Pangilinan, board representatives Ricky Vargas, Al Panlilio, Lim and players Asi Taulava and Vic Pablo welcomed Miller in their fold in a luncheon meeting.

Talk n Text acquired from Red Bull Barako the signing rights on Miller in exchange for a future draft pick plus two players (except Asi Taulava and Jimmy Alapag) of the Thunder’s choice from the Phone Pals’ lineup.

Before dealing Miller to Talk n Text, Red Bull Barako offered the player the maximum monthly pay of P350,000 for the next three years.

The PLDT franchise officials considered as good news reports that Red Bull coach Yeng Guiao is thinking on waiving his option to pick players from their roster.

"Okay na okay sa amin iyan. Kung hindi sila kukuha ng players sa amin, eh di kumpleto na ang lineup namin," said Lim.

Talk n Text completed a 12-man roster as it acquired Yancy de Ocampo from FedEx in exchange for first round picks in 2004 and 2005.

Incidentally, the Phone Pals played with a mere 11-man lineup in the 2003 campaign.

Guiao said he might just waive the option to get two players from Talk n Text as he doesn’t see any Phone Pal that would fit in his team. — Nelson Beltran