PBA Trade Update: Barroca to B-MEG, Allado to Barako Bull, Espiritu to Shopinas.com

Image Source: http://pba.com.ph

B-MEG failed to get what they need the most in the recent PBA rookie draft - a legitimate point guard. But the team and its entire management didn't stop until they got what they dubbed as the missing piece of their campaign last season. If they can't have it on the draft, they can via trade.

B-MEG seems not to run out of luck as they got a legitimate point guard in the name of Mark Barroca in a three-team, multiplayer trade happened last september 6, 2011. The teams involved in the said trade were B-MEG, Barako Bull (former Air21) and Shopina.com (former Barako Bull). 

B-MEG got Mark Barroca, known by his superb play-making skills in his stint with Smart Gilas, from Shopinas.com (their 5th pick from the draft), Barako Bull acquired Don Carlos Allado from B-MEG, and Shopina.com got high leaper Elmer Espiritu from Barako Bull and rookie Brian Ilad from B-MEG. 

Commissioner Chito Salud approved and signed the trade ruling that it was a fair trade, with each team benefited with the players they got. 

With Mark Barroca playing the point spot together with Roger Yap and Josh Urbiztondo, and with the return of the original "sampayan brigade" of Rafi Reavis, Rico Maierhofer and Kerby Raymundo, plus Joe De Vance - BMEG Llamados is a force to reckon in the upcoming conference.


Update: Tim Cone named as new BMEG head coach: Read here.
Update: 37th PBA Season Official Line-up. Click here.

Disclaimer: The author does not hold copyright of the image used in this blog post. Credits goes to the owner of the image.

PBA Trade Updates before the PBA 37th Season Kicks-off

Credits of the Image used belongs to the Philippine Basketball Association

With still one month to go before the opening of the PBA 37th Season, the 10 teams are now focusing on rebuilding their respective rosters, as well as their coaching staffs to strengthen their team and be able to compete for the crown. Let's take a round-up on the recent developments on each team in terms of: rookies from the draft, acquired free agents, trades, coaching staff revamps etc.

The 2011 Annual PBA Rookie Draft:

Here are the list of each of the team and their draft picks:

First Round:

Powerade  - JV CASIO

Rain or Shine  - PAUL LEE

Petron - CHRIS LUTZ

Powerade  - MARCIO LASSITER

Shopinas.com - MARK BARROCA

Alaska - MAC BARACAEL

Meralco  - JASON BALLESTEROS

Barako Bull - ALLEIN MALIKSI

Brgy. Ginebra  - REIL CERVANTES

Barako Bull - DYLAN ABABOU

Second Round:

Shopinas.com - MAGI SISON

TalkNText - PAMBOY RAYMUNDO

Alaska - ERIC SALAMAT

Alaska - JULIUS PASCULADO

Alaska - ARIEL MEPANA

B-Meg - BRIAN ILAD

Meralco - GILBERT BULAWAN

Brgy. Ginebra Kings - JAMES MARTINEZ

Barako Bull - KEN ACIBAR

Barako Bull - JOHN PAUL SORONGON

Powerade Tigers - JOHN MARK AGUSTIN

Third Round

Shopinas.com - MARC CAGOCO

Petron Blaze Boosters - FILEMON FERNANDEZ

Fourth Round

Petron Blaze Boosters - GERALD LAPUZ

Trade Players

Different teams also engaged on different trades even before the draft day. Powerade acquired Josh Vanlandingham and Doug Kramer from Rain Or Shine. In exchange, the team released veteran forward JR Quinahan, Normal Gonzales, 2013 2nd round draft pick (originally from Shopinas.com), and 2014 2nd round draft selection.

Hours before the draft day, Powerade, Meralco and TalkNText sealed a three-way trade that gave Meralco to select 7th from the draft (originally from TalkNText), as well as acquiring forward Mark Yee (TalkNText) and Mark Macapagal (Powerade). The Tropang Texters got Bam Gamalinda and Shawn Weinstein from Meralco, and Powerade got Ogie Menor and Chris Timberlake from Meralco, as well as TalkNText's 21th draft pick.

Petron and Barako Bull also engaged into another trade. Petron got their former star player Dondon Hontiveros and Carlos Sharma from Barako Bull (former Air21), in exchange of Sunday Salvacion, Mick Pennisi and Petron's first Round draft pick to Barako Bull.

Alaska traded it's 17th pick in the draft for Meralco's 2014 second round draft pick. 

Rudy "H-Bomb" Hatfield announced yesterday that he's leaving the Brgy.Ginebra line-up and the league for good. This means that Brgy.Ginebra, his fans and PBA fans will never see Rudy Hatfield in the court again.

Coaches Revamp

Perhaps the biggest news in the PBA recently are not on the players, but in the coaches. A lot of coaching revamps on different teams happened over the past week.

Every PBA and Alaska Aces's fan was definitely shocked on the announcement that coach Tim Cone resigned as the Aces's headcoach. (Read full article here). His assistant coach Joel Banal named as new Aces's head coach.

B-MEG Derby Ace also named their assistant coach/commentator Richard Del Rosario as the team's new head coach, replacing Jeorge Gallent. However, there are speculations that Tim Cone will soon join B-MEG, but Cone and B-MEG officials deny the rumors.

The trend of assistant coaches promoted as coaches continued with Brgy. Ginebra Kings, as assistant coach  Siot Tanquincen was named King's head coach while delegating former tactician Jong Uichico on the assistant's role.

With these developments in the league over the past month, one thing is certain - 37th Season of the PBA will going to be fun and exciting.

Update: Barroca traded to B-MEG. Read full article here.
Update: Tim Cone named new BMEG head coach. Read full article here.

References: 

http://www.pba.ph/news/entry/1124

http://www.pba.ph/news/entry/1117

http://www.pba.ph/images/37th.jpg