PBA: Meralco to acquire Ronjay Buenafe, RoS to get a first-round pick

The Meralco Bolts are set to acquire the services of forward Ronjay Buenafe, giving up their 2014 first round draft pick. While the PBA Commissioner's Office has yet to approve the move, Buenafe himself confirmed that the deal was in place. Buenafe spent the entirety of last season with 2012 Governors' Cup champions Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, but the team's depth meant he played just a career-low average of 19.49 minutes. As a result, he posted his worst numbers in his five years in the PBA: 8.25 points, 1.68 rebounds, 1.15 assists and 0.72 steals.

Shedding Buenafe from their roster allows Rain or Shine to carve out minutes for 2012 seventh overall pick Chris Tiu in their rotation. Meralco on the other hand, adds more offense to a line-up that already features Sol Mercado and Mark Cardona. Still, the team lacked firepower off the bench, once you went past that duo and center Asi Taulava, meaning the former EAC General should find himself in a comfortable position. The two teams actually consummated a deal as well during the 2012 Draft, when Rain or Shine sent 17th overall pick Kelly Nabong to Meralco, for the Bolts' 2015 second round pick. - AMD/RAF, GMA News