Trillo wants PBA to follow stricter trade rules

Former Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) chairman Joaqui Trillo will propose to the board to immediately impose stricter rules in trading players. Trillo said it’s about time the PBA come up with certain guidelines since, he believes, the restricted trade list (RTL) is no longer in effect. He would suggest the idea in the PBA board’s next meeting in order to make sure that everything would be fair from all 10 teams and avoid any lopsided trades in the future. “I might bring that all up to the next board meeting. A guideline should be made clear, probably a new one in lieu of the old one that has been scrapped," Trillo added, Derby Ace board governor and current league vice chairman Rene Pardo said before the RTL was used to keep the parity among teams involved in trades. “Before, a player placed on the RTL cannot be traded to anybody except to players who are also in the RTL," said Pardo. “But the RTL has loopholes as well because a team can simply change a player in the RTL for another player that’s why the league has decided to scrap this old ruling." A team owner, who requested anonymity, said strong teams became stronger in the absence of a guideline that should be implemented as far as trading of players are concerned. “The public wants to see balanced competition and the public wants to have an exciting league. People don’t want to see games so predictable," said the team owner. PBA commissioner Sonny Barrios said that all of these things are taken into serious consideration. “The RTL was removed since the board wants a free trading and that they’re all mature enough on what are the needs of their respective teams." “But once we see lopsided trades happening, that would have tremendous effect on the league, then that’s the time we’ll come up with certain guidelines." Barrios said that instead of deciding on his own, he would ask PBA board chairman Lito Alvarez to call for a special meeting. “But that would happen if and when a trade is made. Right now we’re all talking theoretically." Coca-Cola board governor JB Baylon opposed a suggestion by one team executive that they the PBA should follow the NBA’s trade guidelines where they swap players based on their salaries. “True, that’s a good suggestion, but what if a team sees a promise in a cheap player and is willing to give up a fading star who is earning much? It really depends on the needs of a team," said Baylon in a text message. Alaska is one of the teams vocal enough to air its views in what it perceived as one-sided trades happening in the PBA. Coach Tim Cone is one of them. “The backroom deals that go on in the league never fail to amaze me. How do we keep balance when the best teams get all the best draft picks? By definition, the draft/salary cap are supposed to ensure league balance. Without them, league schism between haves and have-nots widens," said Cone in his Twitter account. “I'll be the first to say that the salary cap is being abused, that's for sure, but certainly not by Alaska. Our owner is very strict," he added. – JVP/Rey Joble, GMANews.TV