Tim Cone feels ‘uncertain’ about the Barangay Ginebra team that will return when the 45th season of the PBA resumes.
Having not played a single game, the decorated mentor how the Gin Kings will perform when they play first game without 7-foot big man Greg Slaughter.
“Definitely uncertain,” he said during Thursday’s episode of Coaches Unfiltered, presented by SMART Sports and supported by Mighty Sports.
Even Cone has yet to talk to Slaughter, who left Ginebra last February after not renewing his contract with the team.
According to the 62-year-old tactician, the last thing he heard about the 32-year-old Slaughter was that he is trying out for the G League.
“So we don’t know if he’s going to come back. We do know, just like everybody else, that he’s working out,” continued Cone.
“The last we heard, he’s gonna make a tryout with the NBA G League, and I don’t know if that’s true or not. We heard that from a third party that he’s gonna tryout for the G-League.”
For those following Slaughter on social media, he has been posting clips of his workouts in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio.
Though many think that it was for a PBA comeback, Slaughter is apparently trying out for the NBA’s minor league.
The G League will not start until next year, though, amid all the uncertainties the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is bringing.
“He won’t be in G-League until next year because they’re not gonna have the G-League this year. G-League won’t start until probably April or May next year.”
For his squad, Cone is looking for his men to step up in lieu of the 2017 PBA Governors’ Cup Best Player.
“We’ll make up for Greg in other ways.
“It’s gonna be tough because he can be a force at times, and it’s just really tough having something ripped away from you like that without having being given anything in return. But we’ll find ways to replace him — maybe a little more Japeth [Aguilar], maybe a little bit more Stanley [Pringle], maybe Prince Caperal steps up. We have other options,” Cone shared.
