Big trade brewing

A one-for-one trade is being negotiated in the PBA at the moment and if the two parties agree, it may be consummated within the next three days. No other considerations are involved. A reliable source said yesterday the swap is strictly one player for another.

What’s interesting is that the players involved are both versatile. One player is more known as a two-guard and a deadly outside shooter who can also drive strong to the hole. The other is essentially a shooting forward who can play two, three and even four because of his height.

Both players are three-point bombers. One is an extremely high leaper who can slam the ball with either hand or both – at the same time. The other is a crafty veteran and an adequate defender.

If the trade pushes through, it won’t be the first time for the players. One player has been in the league since 2005-06, switching uniforms thrice while the other turned pro in 2000 and is on his third team.

The players expect to get a boost in their careers with the deal. Curiously, one player will go back to his original team if the trade is signed, sealed and delivered.

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Noted basketball skills coach Jason Wright predicted the other day that Miami and Dallas will slug it out in the NBA finals this season. He’s conjuring visions of a repeat of the 2006 title playoffs where Dallas opened a 2-0 lead only to lose the next four games to the Heat. The Mavs held the homecourt advantage in the series and were dispatched in Game 6 at home in a bitter setback.

If Miami and Dallas make it to the finals this year, it will be the Heat with the homecourt edge – a slight twist from the 2006 edition. Miami wound up the regular season with a 58-24 record compared to Dallas’ 57-25. But the Mavs beat Miami in their two regular season meetings, 106-95 at home and 98-96 on the road.

In the playoffs so far (excluding yesterday’s Game 4 between Dallas and Oklahoma City), Miami is unbeaten at home with a 7-0 record and is 3-3 on the road while the Mavs are 4-2 on the road and 6-1 at home.

Miami has disposed of Philadelphia and Boston, both via 4-1 counts, and leads Chicago, 2-1, wresting the homecourt advantage with a road win in Game 2. Dallas beat Portland, 4-2, swept the defending two-time champion Los Angeles Lakers, 4-0, and has a 2-1 edge over the Thunder entering Game 4.

“I think Miami has what it takes to beat Chicago then will meet Dallas for the title and win it all,” said Wright. “The Lakers were in a tough series against Dallas. They didn’t play well together. The Mavs had nothing to lose and there was just too much pressure on the Lakers to win again.”

Wright said his best friend, Los Angeles assistant coach Jim Cleamons, isn’t sure about the future. Changes are expected in the Lakers coaching staff particularly as Phil Jackson is expected to retire. Assistant coach Brian Shaw has been rumored to be next in line for the job. But Wright said nothing is final. If the situation clears up before July or August, Wright said he could bring Cleamons to Manila for a series of basketball clinics.

Wright and former University of the Pacific cager Tim Kelly arrived here last week to conduct clinics on sports promoter Vernon Frazier’s invitation. Kelly’s father-in-law Larry Toner was Miami mentor Erik Spoelstra’s high school coach in Portland. Wright was a high school teammate of Spoelstra’s Miami assistant coach Dave Fizdale. The association probably explains why Wright favors Miami in the race for the NBA crown.

Wright and Kelly are scheduled to leave Manila for the US tonight.

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Talk ‘N’ Text coach Chot Reyes said Ranidel de Ocampo is not in Rajko Toroman’s wish list of PBA players to beef up Smart Gilas for the FIBA-Asia Championships in Wuhan, China, this September. Toroman has asked for Kelly Williams, Jimmy Alapag, Dondon Hontiveros and Asi Taulava. The Serbian coach was rumored to be interested in De Ocampo after his exceptional performance in the recent Commissioner’s Cup finals.

The PBA Board of Governors has decided that if the four pros join Gilas for the FIBA-Asia Champions Cup starting May 28, they will be prohibited from rejoining their mother teams in the Governors Cup. However, the four may play in the Governors Cup and still reinforce Gilas in the FIBA-Asia Championships provided they complete their commitments in the third conference.

Reyes said Williams and Alapag will play for the Tropa in the Governors Cup, meaning they will be ceded to Toroman only after the third conference – in time for the Wuhan joust. As for Hontiveros and Taulava, they will skip the Governors Cup to hook up with Gilas on a full-time basis until the end of the FIBA-Asia Championships.

“They’ll practice with Gilas and Talk ‘N’ Text but play for Talk ‘N’ Text then go straight to Gilas when the conference is over,” confirmed Reyes, referring to Williams and Alapag.

Air21 team manager Allan Gregorio said Hontiveros will stick it out with Gilas. “We would have wanted to avail of that special concession offered by the PBA Board but I know how hard that would be for everybody so we’ll stick to our sacrifice,” he said. “Dondon will focus on Gilas.”

Gregorio said he was informed by Meralco team manager Virgil Villavicencio that Taulava will also miss the third conference to concentrate fully with the national team.

Postscript. Li Ning, one of the world’s leading sports brands with products ranging from footwear to apparel, will be officially introduced to the Philippine market with a major launch at the Astoria Plaza, Ortigas Center, at 11 this morning. China’s No. 1 brand is what the Spanish basketball team players and Baron Davis wear. Li Ning is particularly known for its high-end indoor court shoes for badminton, volleyball and squash. Li Ning’s basketball shoes will hit local stores in the third quarter this year.