The Kia Picanto’s management made sure that there would be a new face for the franchise before it returned home from the board meeting in Los Angeles, California, Wednesday morning.
According to Nelson Beltran of the Philippine Star, Kia shipped floor general LA Revilla to the Phoenix Fuel Masters in exchange for second round draft pick Jason Grimaldo and a future second round pick
“We could’ve held on to him but we decided not to make things tough for him,” Kia team governor Bobby Rosales told Beltran.
Last October 15, Revilla — who had been with the Columbian Autocar Corporation-owned franchise since 2014 — sent out a controversial tweet regarding the state of the franchise after it had traded away the first overall pick of the 2017 PBA Draft to the San Miguel Beermen.
Revilla, 27, averaged 6.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in 29 games played during the recently-concluded 42nd season of the league.
Still, Revilla made sure to bury the hatchet with Kia before being sent to Phoenix.
“He talked to (team manager) Joe (Lipa), apologizing then saying his thanks.”
