Searching for another import — again — is among the options laid on the table for Magnolia after Shabazz Muhammad got hurt during practice recently.
Head coach Chito Victolero confirmed as much after the Hotshots missed the former NBA veteran’s services in their PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup rematch with NorthPort on Friday night reportedly due to a left knee tendonitis.
The team did beat the Batang Pier anew, 110-94, thanks to Aris Dionisio’s 30-point career night, but that doesn’t lessen the concerns surrounding their reinforcement — especially now that they’ve qualified for the quarterfinals.
“Yeah, that’s an option also,” said the champion mentor during the postgame presser at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. “Because we don’t want also na, ‘yun nga, kung ‘di naman healthy… we will try to see kung ano pa ‘yung mangyayari.”
Muhammad has just played for two games thus far since returning to the league as Magnolia’s replacement for another ex-NBA vet in Glenn Robinson III.
It could be recalled that the former San Miguel import’s comeback didn’t go as smoothly as he had hoped for when his FIBA clearance got delayed, causing him to miss their game versus Meralco in what was supposed to be his debut.
He was, however, able to suit up the following game against Terrafirma, where he buried the go-ahead floater to help his side avert an upset, 99-98.
Muhammad, though, couldn’t make it back-to-back wins with the Hotshots as they fell to Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and TNT, 84-82, five nights later.
The Batang Pier was supposed to be his personal bounce-back but was understandably benched by the coaches due to his condition.
“Medyo namamaga yung tuhod ni Shabazz and we don’t want to force him also na ma-aggravate yung injury niya, lumala,” Victolero said.
And now, it is uncertain whether or not he’d still be Magnolia’s reinforcement moving forward. Still, the coaches are monitoring the 31-year-old winger on a daily basis before deciding what would be the best next course of action.
“We’ve talked about it. Let’s see,” Victolero said. “Ang goal lang namin is matapos ‘yung game na ‘to, at least makita namin and then tomorrow, let’s see kung paano ‘yung mangyayari. Because it [happened] near the playoffs.
“Hopefully, maka-decide kami kung ano ‘yung pwede naming gawin. Katulad ni Shabazz, alam naman niya ‘yung sitwasyon.”
