Expansion teams gird for PBA dispersal draft

MANILA, Philippines - An estimated total of 168 rookie and other free agents and unprotected veterans will be up for grabs in the PBA dispersal draft set at 2 p.m. in the league’s head office in Libis tomorrow with Kia Motors and Blackwater Sports expected to pick at least 10 apiece in the first step to build their rosters.

Blackwater team owner Dioceldo Sy said yesterday the target is to choose at least 10 players while Kia Motors team manager Eric Pineda opened the possibility of selecting up to 16. Next season, Pineda said the PBA will limit each team to 12 in the active lineup plus two on reserve and three practice players so there are several slots to fill.

“We’ll be picking 11th or 12th in the coming rookie draft,” said Pineda. “Our coaching staff thinks there are only up to nine marquee players and when our time comes in the first round, we’re picking Manny (Pacquiao) to make him our playing coach. Most of the top rookies are guards so we’ll seriously look for big men in the dispersal draft. We could pick as many as 16 players to leave a slot for Manny.”

Pineda wouldn’t disclose who is Kia’s likely first pick in the dispersal draft. The rumor is Kia will pick Rain Or Shine’s Larry Rodriguez who was left unprotected by the Elasto Painters along with Alex Nuyles. Rodriguez, 31, was the ninth overall pick in the 2008 draft and named ahead of Rain Or Shine teammates T. Y. Tang and Jeff Chan.

Kia and Blackwater officials declined to reveal who are in the league’s unprotected veterans list. Each team was allowed to protect 13 veterans, leaving 38 in the lineup for the dispersal draft. PBA commissioner Chito Salud said sanctions will be levied on the expansion teams if it is found out they leaked the unprotected list.

Salud will preside in the two-team lottery before the dispersal draft to decide which team picks first. If Rodriguez is rumored to be Kia’s first option, two-time MVP Danny Ildefonso is reported to be Blackwater’s top pick. Ildefonso, 37, was the first overall selection in the 1998 draft and has played on eight championship teams.

Rodriguez and Ildefonso are reportedly among the high-profile players in the unprotected list which according to sources, also includes Chris Timberlake, Wynne Arboleda, John Ferriols, Hans Thiele, Bonbon Custodio, Renren Ritualo, Eddie Laure, Ronnie Matias, Rob Labagala, Jason Deutchman, Mark Yee and Val Acuna.

The dispersal draft involves 53 rookie free agents from last year’s draft and 22 more from the 2012 draft and 55 veteran free agents. Among the unsigned rookie free agents from last year’s draft are J. P. Erram, Mark Lopez, Mike Silungan, John Usita, Jett Vidal and Joshua Webb. The 22 rookie free agents from 2012 include Gian Chiu, Paul Gonzalgo and Eric Suguitan. The veteran free agents include Ken Bono, Reil Cervantes, Alex Crisano, Marvin Cruz, Pong Escobal, Bambam Gamalinda, Borgie Hermida, Chris Pacana, Josh Vanlandingham and L. A. Revilla.  

Pineda said Kia and Blackwater are given only five days to sign up the players they’ll choose in the dispersal draft. Failure to sign the drafted players will mean they go back to their mother clubs if in the unprotected list. Sy said the majority of the players in the unprotected list have contracts expiring at the end of next month.

Sy singled out Laure as a player he hopes to enlist. “He’s been training with us and we like his fighting spirit,” said Sy. Laure, 37, was the third overall pick in the 2003 draft and has played in 10 PBA seasons with Shell, Purefoods, Alaska, Rain Or Shine and Powerade. Sy wouldn’t reveal the others in his wish list for the dispersal draft but it is rumored he is leaning towards Ildefonso, Cervantes, Nuyles and Thiele.

To warm up for the coming PBA season, Sy is sending a team coached by Leo Isaac to participate at the Penang Chief Minister Cup International Invitational Championships in Malaysia on July 25-29. There will be six teams participating in the tournament. Chinese-Taipei, Singapore, Australia, India and Penang will also be represented. Blackwater’s lineup will consist of Bacon Austria, Hyram Bagatsing, Gilbert Bulawan, Gio Ciriacruz, Aris Dimaunahan, Gamalinda, Laure, Pari Llagas, Allan Mangahas, Raul Soyud, Juami Tiongson, Paul Zamar and Jericho Cruz.

“We’re anticipating a lot of free agents when their contracts expire on Aug. 31,” said Sy. “So we’ll probably sign up six to seven of the players we’ll pick in the dispersal draft so we can leave room for more free agents. A veteran who’s been practicing with us is Aris Dimaunahan. We’re taking him along to Penang for a tournament.” Dimaunahan, 36, has played in eight PBA seasons with Barangay Ginebra, Air21, Coca-Cola, Barako Bull and Alaska.