Alaska will be parting ways with its star guard Chris Banchero as the Aces have shipped the Fil-Italian cager to the Magnolia Hotshots for Robbie Herndon and Rodney Brondial, Friday.
The development was first reported by SPIN.ph’s Snow Badua, and was confirmed by a source within Alaska.
The source revealed that the Aces submitted the trade papers to the PBA office Wednesday evening. However, the league might only approve the deal on Monday, November 4, as it is currently on break.
Should the trade push through, it will mark the end of the Aces’ five-year relationship with Banchero, which started in 2014 as they took him with the fifth overall pick in the draft.
With Alaska, Banchero became an All-Rookie Team member back in 2015 and an All-Star this year. The 30-year-old was also pivotal in the storied franchise’s last five Finals appearances.
This is the third trade in the last three months involving the Fred Uytengsu-owned franchise. Last August, it dealt Ping Exciminiano to the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters for Maverick Ahanmisi. It then traded Carl Cruz to the Blackwater Elite in exchange for Abu Tratter a month later.
These moves are part of the Aces’ rebuilding process the Aces under new head coach Jeffrey Cariaso, who took over the team’s coaching reins last August.
Alaska is currently 2-6 in the 2019 Governors’ Cup. It is fresh from a 101-91 conquest of the Elite last October 27.
The proposal is pending league approval.
