Most Shocking PBA Trade Deals of the Recent Decade

by Sam Oliquino / March 8, 2021

Part of the sport of basketball are team’s player trades to improve and strengthen their roster. Done during the offseasons or sometimes even in the midst of the games, trades also hold the fate of players if they will be utilized to further their career or not.

In the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), trading season is often met with controversies, with key players being traded off for a number of lesser key players and some future draft picks. As such, trades and transaction deals are often one of the most talked about events in the league, apart from the games itself.

With the PBA’s 46th season opening next month, teams are currently busy shuffling their players and arranging trade deals with each other. So far, the recent trades have left the fans on the edge of their seats! With Calvin Abueva now gearing up for the Magnolia Hotshots and Vic Manuel heading to the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters, who knows what else will happen?

But, you see, the PBA is no stranger when it comes to shocking trades, let’s look back at the most controversial trades in the league in the previous decade.

5. Stanley Pringle to Brgy. Ginebra Gin Kings (2019)

Of course the Ka-Barangays were happy with this transaction, but there were also some who raised their eyebrows and felt that NorthPort didn’t receive enough in exchange for Stanley Pringle. Why? Well, Pringle was only a former Rookie of The Year, Mythical First Team, PBA Scoring Champion, and Most Valuable Player runner-up. With this kind of record, Batang Pier fans felt it was a lopsided deal and they should have gotten more even when the Gin Kings already released Sol Mercado, Jervy Cruz, and Kevin Ferrer, who are not bad players at all as they are not short of talent and skills.

Despite this, some critics said Brgy. Ginebra still didn’t lose as much as Northport by still having the likes of Scottie Thompson, Japeth Aguilar and Greg Slaughter, proving no dent was made even when they let go of three players. If anything, Pringle’s transition even strengthened the Gin Kings’ roster.

4. Terrence Romeo joins the SMB crew (2019)

Before heading to the San Miguel Beermen (SMB), Terrence Romeo was first traded by the NorthPort Batang Pier to TNT Tropang Texters along with Yousef Taha in exchange for Moala Tautuaa, a first round draft pick in 2020, and a second round draft pick in 2021 way back in the April of 2018. But things didn’t work out for TNT as it seems Romeo can’t fill up the spot that a big man like Tautuaa left. It also didn’t help the team’s chemistry that TNT was moving around a lot of people from coaches to players at the time.

With that, Romeo didn’t seem to flourish and was even reported experiencing some conflict with his teammates. He only played for the Tropang Texters for eight months and later on was traded to the San Miguel Beermen where the pressure was quite low as it was a pool of veterans and skilled players. And lo and behold it was with the Beermen that he won his back-to-back championships, proving not all trading transactions are bad.

3. James Yap and Paul Lee swap (2016)

Back in 2016, one of the biggest deals that shook the league was between the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters and the Magnolia Hotshots (then called Star Hotshots) when two-time MVP James Yap was traded in exchange for Paul Lee. It was a shock to many especially because it was with the Purefoods franchise that Yap was able to build his career in the PBA since he was drafted in 2004 as the No. 2 overall pick.

It is also with the franchise that he won seven championships, including a grand slam in 2014. Meanwhile, Magnolia was forced to let go of the 2012 Rookie of the Year after failing to secure a three-year contract extension.

2. SMB acquires CJ Perez (2021)

This one is hot and fresh out of the kitchen as the PBA recently approved the trade between San Miguel Beermen and Terrafirm Dyip prior to the opening of the 46th season. But what makes this controversial is how CJ Perez, the 2018 first overall pick, is helping boost Terrafirma Dyip as the team that is now worthy of a playoff berth.

For years, no change of name has helped the group breakout from their underdog reputation not until Perez came and fueled the fighting spirit of the team. But with only two years of service, Dyip is now sending him to the Beermen in exchange for Russell Escoto, Gelo Alolino, Matt Ganuelas-Rosser, and  SMB’s Season 46 and Season 48 first round picks.

1. Christian Standhardinger crossover from Kia Picanto to San Miguel Beermen (2017)

Now, CJ Perez’s case wasn’t the first for Terrafirma (then Kia Picanto) as back in 2017, in a pre-draft trade deal, Terrafirma decided to trade off their No. 1 overall pick to the San Miguel Beermen in exchange for Ronald Tubid, Rashwan Mccarthy, Jay-R Reyes, and a first round pick in the 2019 draft pick. Because of this, SMB was able to snag the then No. 1 overall pick, Christian Standhardinger.

This move received a lot of criticism from the fans, mediamen, and some team owners like Alaska’s Wilfred Uytengsu. This was so controversial to the point that then PBA commissioner Chito Narvasa stepped down from his position due to the public’s disappointment for his approval of the trade. Also, because of this transaction the PBA Board of Governors along with the then new commissioner, Willie Marcial, agreed that the trading of the first overall draft pick will not be allowed.

In a field where it’s all about being the strongest and the best, some teams tend to forget the implications of trading their players. While these transactions help make the league exciting, it can also hold a toll on the players as it sometimes comes to them as a surprise. This affects their performance on the court and influencing their perception of the game and the league. It also differs if they will be going to a bad team to a good team or vice versa.

At the end of the day the goal is to boost the team and once the trade is approved by the league’s management, the players would need to adjust and make their best effort to adapt to their new squad.

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