PBA Trades - 2010

Trading of players during Draft Day is nothing but an ordinary sight in the Philippine Basketball Association.

Larry Fonacier

Deadly shooters Larry Fonacier and Ren-Ren Ritualo and promising guard Jonas Villanueva are now headed to their new teams after separate deals were reached before and during day of the 2010 Rookie Draft.

The 6-foot-3 Fonacier will join a Talk N Text Tropang Texters squad orphaned by its leading scorer the past two seasons -- Mac Mac Cardona, who is now with the newest member in the league, the Meralco Bolts.

Pressed with issues on salary cap, Alaska was forced to unload Fonacier, who was shipped to the Tropang Texters. In return, the Aces got the rights on the No.4 overall pick and immediately named high-flying Elmer Espirtu of the University of the East Warriors as their top rookie pick.

The Aces also worked on a separate trade, this time, with Meralco. They acquired the services of combo guard Bonbon Custodio then gave up their No. 10 pick in the first round to the Bolts. 

Bon Bon Custodio

“It costs us Larry in this season's draft and it will definitely hurt us a lot. He played a pivotal role in the championship series against San Miguel and was really coming into his own, but he became a victim of the salary cap," said Alaska coach Tim Cone, the winningest mentor among active coaches.

“The good side is, he will join a Talk N Text where he can earn more and will be under the guidance of Chot Reyes, who is a good friend of mine. He (Chot) promised me to take care of Larry," added Cone.

But Alaska did not only kept the nucleus of the team intact. It bolstered the roster even more with the addition of Espiritu, a 6-foot-3 forward and former Slam Dunk champion of the UAAP, as well as securing the services of Custodio and Marvin Hayes.

“Other teams are looking at either La Salle or Ateneo, but we wanted players from UE, this season, so we picked Elmer Espiritu and got Bonbon Custodio via a trade. I've been keeping an eye on Espiritu as early as two years ago. As for Bonbon, we hope he can fill up the spot left by Larry."

Jonas Villanueva

“One good thing about Bonbon is he is a combo guard. A combo guard is ideal for Triangle Offense. There's something in Marvin Hayes, which can be developed and that's the reason why we took a chance on him."

Ritualo, a 6-foot-1 gunner, will be reunited with his old coach – Bo Perasol – with the Powerade Tigers.

The deal was agreed in principle while all 10 teams were waiting for their turn to hand over their respective picks in the draft.

First, the Express and the Tigers worked on a trade for the rights on the No. 6 overall pick obtained by Powerade.

Powerade chose Josh Vanlandingham, a Fil-Canadian forward, as the sixth pick, but gave up its first-round draft pick for 2012 to Air21. Then, the two teams worked on a deal that shipped Ritualo out of the Express and sent him to the Tigers’ den.

In return, the Express will secure the Tigers’ second-round pick next year.

And then, there’s Villanueva, a talented guard, who blossomed last season, but found himself relegated back as a third-string guard in San Miguel’s congested backcourt unit.

Villanueva is reportedly headed to B-Meg Derby Ace Llamados, but a conduit squad is needed in order for the transfer to push through. The Llamados and the Beermen are sister teams and under league rules, they cannot trade players directly and will need an independent squad to make the trade legal.

A highly-placed source from B-Meg’s camp told GMANews.TV that a conduit squad is the only lacking piece that will make Villanueva an instant addition to Llamados’ squad, whose guard spot needs some retooling.

Mac Mac Cardona

“As of now, that’s the only (conduit) lacking we have. Jonas’ transfer is being worked out now. We just have to finish the other details," 

 Veteran frontliner John Ferriols and Paolo Bugia will provide additional height and heft to an undersized, but athletic, Rain or Shine Elasto Painters squad.


Rain or Shine co-team owner Raymond Yu confirmed the news to GMANews.TV through a text message.

“We just added Ferriols and Bugia to our team," said Yu. “At least we’ve added few more frontliners who can help out Jay-R Reyes, Jervy Cruz and Doug Kramer.

Kramer, a 6-foot-4 banger, was picked up by the Elasto Painters in a trade with Air21 for Marcy Arellano during the latter stretch of the PBA Fiesta Conference won by Alaska.

Just as expected, Air21 is active in the wheeling dealing of players.

The Express is reportedly acting as conduit to the trade between sister teams B-Meg Derby Ace Llamados and the San Miguel Beermen. The Llamados will acquire the services of promising guard Jonas Villanueva while the Beermen will get Paul Artadi. The Express will get a future second-round pick.

With three new players joining the squad – top rookie picks Nonoy Baclao, Rabeh Al-Hussaini and Rey Guevarra – the Express will be forced to unload two more players.

The team is reportedly putting former Rookie of the Year awardee Rich Alvarez and Wesley Gonzales on trading block.


Rey Joble, GMANews.TV