Meralco head coach Norman Black feels pleased to see today’s PBA players reap the benefits of what those who came before them fought for.
One of those is the ‘real’ free agency, a landmark ruling years ago that’s being implemented this season which gives the cagers the liberty to choose whichever team they wish to play for after their first seven seasons in the league.
“I’m a former player in the league,” said the cage luminary during a guest appearance in Radyo5’s Power and Play with Noli Eala, Saturday.
“So, I think back to the times when Marlou Aquino, Dennis Espino, and Kenneth Duremdes, and some of the other players in the league at that time, they really worked hard to try to get more rights for the players.
“I think one of the results was the fact that this rule was actually put in place where after seven years, guys will be able to become unrestricted free agents. So, being a former player, I’m certainly for the rights of the players,” he continued.
Black, however, has an issue with this new ruling — one that will surely affect the Bolts in their campaign for the 2021-22 Governors’ Cup.
“My only concern probably would be the timing — the fact that it’s happening in the middle of a conference,” he said. “The fact that there’s a possibility you may lose a key player as we did with Nards.”
Ideally, leagues put up a certain period for free agent signings. The PBA, however, applied the new ruling right at the turn of the New Year.
First to benefit from the unrestricted free agency was the 2014 rookie class. So when most of them saw their contracts expire last December 31, some were quick to pounce on the opportunity to test the market.
And one of those who did as much was Nards Pinto. The 19th overall pick of that batch was actually offered a new two-year contract by the Bolts, but ultimately signed a three-year deal with rivals Barangay Ginebra.
Photo by PBA Images
Yes, the Bolts lost a guard who’s emerged as a key part in Black’s rotation after coming on board via trade with Phoenix back in 2019.
In two games played in the season-ending tilt, he averaged 9.0 points, 5.5 assists, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.0 steals in two games played.
The Davao native put up 8.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists during the Philippine Cup, highlighted by a career-high performance with 24 points during Game Two of the semifinals against eventual runners-up Magnolia.
Pinto is just one of three players so far who have enjoyed the rejigged PBA free agency. Rodney Brondial left Alaska in favor of San Miguel Beer, while Matt Ganuelas-Rosser bid goodbye to Terrafirma to return to TNT.
“Nards is not our leading scorer. But, he was averaging about 25 minutes a game — he was starting a lot of the games. So he was a rotational player for us who was one of our better defenders on the perimeter.
“And it’s very difficult to make that adjustment in the middle of the conference,” Black said. “You lose the player, there’s a possibility you may not get a player back and return to help you. So, the player’s just gone,” he said.
But then again, Black is all for this new ruling as it gives players more rights in choosing what they believe would be best for them and their careers.
“In most cases, I’m all for that because like I said, it’s a rule. It’s a PBA rule which we should follow,” he said.
“I’m just concerned about the timing, and the fact that it’s happening while we’re actually playing games in the middle of the conference.”
