Multiple reports say the Blackwater Elite have traded playmaker, Brian Heruela, to the Barako Bull Energy for slasher, Carlo Lastimosa, Thursday.
Heruela, the 26-year-old quarterback for the Elite, averaged 10.6 PPG, 4.9 RPG, and 5.2 APG in his maiden season in the PBA.
Lastimosa was the 20th overall pick in the 2013 PBA Draft and has numbers of 6.1 PPG and 1.5 RPG in two seasons with the Energy.
Quick takes
Heruela’s addition to the Energy gives the team a solid boost in the backcourt, and that means more time for RR Garcia to play off the ball in rotations. Although it creates a logjam in the Point Guard spot with Chico Lanete and Joseph Yeo, as the Energy’s only shooting guard, having Heruela will give Barako more options without sacrificing much of their scoring.
Always the fearless slasher that he is, Lastimosa loves driving to the basket for shots, although it remains to be seen if he will be able to become the Elite’s shot creator. Lastimosa averages only 0.9 assists/game in his first two seasons, and Heruela’s shot-making ability will surely be missed.
It also means added load for Blackwater’s other point guards, Jerick Canada and Raffy Reyes. Heruela’s absence is surely a big blow, and Barako won this trade by a mile.
