On PBA Trades

In the end, SMB got the players they wanted. Rabeh Al-Hussaini, Baclao & Guevarra.

Initially, SMB planned to send Joseph Yeo, Mick Pennisi & Danny Seigle but Commissioner Salud shut it down. Final one man judgment: awfully lopsided.

But lo and behold, San Miguel Beer did not waste time and retooled the offer for another judgment day.

The repackaged deal includes long time San Miguel heroes - or this is a strong word - San Miguel legends, Dondon Hontiveros & Danny Seigle (Danny again, like he is the first guy they want to get rid off). Plus Dorian Pena, crowd favorite Paul Artadi and lord knows what else are in the SMB package.

In return, San Miguel gets young bigs Hussaini, Baclao and Guevarra. Final judgment, "an improvement" from the last 3-on-3 swap proposal. By changing draft picks, Mick & Yeo to Dondon, Artadi & Pena, suddenly it isn't a one sided deal anymore. And so the trade was approved.

San Miguel Beer, walang pinagsamahan.

Now, I really don't know what powers and authority the commissioner has, but for the sake of the commissioner himself and PBA as a whole, trades must not be decided by judgment of one man alone. It just can not be, borrow one from Stern.

What I mean is, look at Stern. In the NBA, Stern does not act as Lord of the Trades. NBA trade policies are set to get fair trades. Of course, there will be lopsided trade once in a while, there are no bullet-proof policies. But I can't remember a trade where Stern had the lone vote, this trade is a go, this trade is no go.

One with too much power is well, too much.

Easier said than done, but the commissioner and all of PBA must have clearer trading rules & regulations. And then, religiously implement these. The PBA will then be a better league, or a league with MORE integrity. They should factor in, players' age, number of years in the league, players' salary & salary cap, trading deadline, franchise player tags, and so on. They're all pro and good men, why not sit down and do this.

The next time another trade offer pops up, I dread the scenario when again, one man will judge the swap if it's deal or no deal.