Three weeks after trading JM Calma, Northport pulled the trigger on another frontcourt shake-up, sending Abu Tratter to Blackwater in exchange for James Kwekuteye in a straight-up swap.
The deal was approved by the PBA on Wednesday.
This latest move trims down Coach Bonnie Tan’s frontline even further, especially after parting ways with Calma earlier this April.
Calma was shipped to San Miguel in exchange for Avan Nava and a Season 50 second-round pick just before the Season 49 Philippine Cup tipped off.
While still recovering from an ACL tear he suffered last season, Calma is expected to bolster the Beermen’s support for June Mar Fajardo.
For Tratter, returning to Blackwater presents a chance for a fresh start and more playing time.
The former La Salle standout had limited opportunities in his recent stints with Magnolia and NorthPort.
Interestingly, this trade brings him full circle as he rejoins the team that launched his PBA career.
Tratter was initially drafted 7th overall by NLEX in 2018, then immediately traded — alongside Paul Desiderio — to Blackwater in a deal involving Poy Erram.
Though his first stint with the then-Elite was brief, lasting just nine months before being dealt to Alaska (now Converge), he left a mark by earning a spot on the 2019 PBA All-Rookie Team.
On the flip side, the acquisition of Kwekuteye is a boost for NorthPort’s backcourt, adding a potent scorer to a guard-heavy lineup already featuring Joshua Munzon and Evan Nelle.
And perhaps more significantly, it marks the reunion of the “Bandana Bros.”
Kwekuteye and Nelle last played together in NCAA Season 95 for the San Beda Red Lions, where their on-court chemistry and matching headbands made waves.
Following that season, Nelle transferred to La Salle, ending their partnership — until now.
