Chris Gavina was an interesting observant during the 2017 PBA Rookie Combine, Monday afternoon in Mandaluyong City. And he needed to take notes on each and every prospect on the floor, not knowing where the Kia Picanto will be placed on the draft board or if they even have a pick.
Kia, a team that bottomed out during the season, earned the right to have the top pick in the upcoming 2017 PBA Draft. However, reports have circulated that Kia’s management have traded away the pick to the San Miguel Beermen.
The youthful mentor, just like everyone else, is on the outside looking in, not knowing if the trade would push through.
“I can’t confirm it. I’m learning just as much as everyone else as I read things and hear about things as well,” admitted the Filipino-American mentor, who has been with the franchise since 2015. “I’m asking my management also, like, ‘Is this true?’ You just kind of wait it out and see what happens.
For months, Gavina has salivated over the idea of having either Christian Standhardinger or Kiefer Ravena on his team, even calling them as “franchise-turning” players. But he had to admit that he is in no position to make managerial decisions for the team.
“On a scale of one to ten, this is maybe a twelve,” quipped Gavina if it is starting to get frustrating for him.
“But in my position, you got to live with what you can get sometimes and really just look to how we’re going to improve with what we have,” he quickly added.
“I’d love to keep it, but you know, there’s some higher powers that be that might not agree.”
This is not the first time the Columbian Autocar Corporation-owned franchise traded away a high pick in Gavina’s watch.
Back in 2015, Kia, then known as the Mahindra Enforcer, shipped the second overall pick to the TNT Katropa in a three-team trade. The pick turned out to be Troy Rosario while Mahindra received KG Canaleta and Aldrech Ramos.
Still, ever the eternal optimist, Gavina is looking at the positive side of whatever will happen from now until Draft day.
“Honestly, it’s not as if I haven’t been in this position before. When I was first took over, we gave up our pick and we got legitimate veterans for it, and winded up having a great season,” Gavina reflected, “So whatever happens, whether we get Christian or not, I think as long as we get some veteran leadership on this team with championship experience, I think we’ll be able to form a formidable team next year.”
