The new season of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) has yet to dawn upon rookie franchise Meralco, but the Bolts already made it clear that they are definitely building its cornerstone behind big-time gunner Mac-Mac Cardona.
On Tuesday, the Bolts gave the unorthodox shooting guard out of De La Salle a two-year contract extension reportedly worth P8.4 million.
But with Cardona serving as Meralco’s franchise player in its return to big-time basketball, both parties agreed to exercise the contract extension stipulated in Cardona’s original deal.
The contract extension begins to take effect at the start of the 2011-2012 season, according to team manager Virgil Villavicencio.
If Bolts coach Ryan Gregorio would be asked, he stressed Cardona deserves the new transaction the way superstar players like James Yap or Willie Miller do.
In fact, he even likened Cardona to James Yap, the reigning league Most Valuable Player (MVP) whom Gregorio handled when he was still with B-Meg Derby Ace.
“He’s like James (Yap) because he is an explosive scorer. He has incredible scoring ways and is hard to stop like James," said Gregorio, one of the Bolts’ early valuable acquisitions in the off season.
Cardona’s contract extension capped a busy week for the Bolts, who had been signing one player after the other in their bid to be a competitive team once the 36th season of Asia’s oldest pro league comes off the wraps on Oct. 3.
The team earlier came to terms with burly center Beau Belga for a two-year deal, while Yousif Aljamal agreed to a one-year contract.
Veterans Marlou Aquino and Jason Misolas were both signed to a one-conference pact.
The four rookies the team tabbed in the recent Annual PBA Draft – Shawn Weinstein, Bam Gamalinda, Ford Arao and Khazim Mirza – had also agreed to the respective contracts given them, while still with existing deals are Ogie Menor, Pong Escobal, Nelbert Omolon and Chris Ross.
“I think everyone is happy with the way the negotiations went," said Villavicencio. “As much as possible, we want to retain players who coach Ryan Gregorio feels can contribute to the team."
The team actually assumed Cardona’s live contract from Talk `N Text, the franchise he played for in his first five years in the league until being traded this off season in a three-team, four-player deal that involved the Bolts, Tropang Texters and the Air21 Express.
Shawn Weinstein, Meralco's top rookie pick this season, has finally agreed to sign a two-year pact with the Bolts, ending days of dilly-dallying in negotiations.
Bolts team manager Virgil Villavicencio confirmed the news to GMANews.TV.
"He signed around 4 p.m. Tuesday," said Villavicencio. "I believe the two-year contract is fair for both camps."
According to Villavicencio, he set a time frame regarding the contract signing of the Filipino-American guard, who played in Israel against former B-Meg Derby Ace import Tony Washam.
"I was in the practice at 8 a.m. and I told the player that I'm giving him until 10 a.m. whether to sign the offer or not. The coaching staff is waiting for his decision as the team is scheduled to play in Singapore for tune-up matches with the SingaporeSlingers next week."
"He told me, if it's OK for us to meet in the afternoon regarding the contract, then his agent, Caloy Allado, called me up and we met for the signing," he added.
Allado is the father of B-Meg Derby Ace center/forward Don Allado, who, himself, has yet to agree on a new deal being offered by the Llamados.
The Llamados had already come up with an offer, but the younger Allado, whose playing career is also being managed by his father, has refused to sign the contract up to this time.
"We made a very nice offer, but if he doesn't want to sign, what can we do?," said B-Meg Derby Ace coach Jorge Gallent, who openly expressed intentions of getting the services of veteran slotman Mick Pennisi from San Miguel Beer via a three-way tradeinvolving Allado and a conduit squad.
The Llamados have a decimated frontline as main men Kerby Raymundo and Marc Pingris will miss most part of the PBA's 36th season due to injuries. Both players underwent operations in the United States.
And with the younger Allado not yet coming to terms with the Llamados, the team might do desperate measures, including trading the veteran forward.
But unlike Allado, Weinstein was given an ultimatum. The rookie agreed to sign a contract in the afternoon.
Weinstein, a 5-foot-11 guard, was the last rookie to sign up with the Bolts. The other newcomers – Khazim Mirza, Ford Arao and Bam Gamalinda – have already signed one-year deals with the squad a few days ago.
Weinstein will share minutes playing the point guard spot with Chris Ross and Pong Escobal.
The Bolts are expected to have Mac Mac Cardona and Beau Belga, two players plucked via separate off-season trades, in the starting lineup together with Bitoy Omolon, Gabby Espinas and Ross. - JVP, GMANews.TV
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