Air21 and the need to protect the PBA’s first three draft picks

There is no doubt that Air21 bolstered its line-up with the recently-approved three team trade that saw them land Nonoy Baclao, Rob Reyes, John Wilson and KG Canaleta. However, this trade also has a significant downside that could come back to haunt the squad. In professional sports, drafts give the weaker teams a shot at getting better, by giving squads with the worst records first dibs on the best incoming players. That’s how professional sports leagues ensure parity. The PBA’s 37th season was giant proof that the draft works. The teams that had the first and second overall picks managed to make it to conference finals, with one team going all the way to a championship. To be more specific, the then-Powerade Tigers selected JV Casio with the first overall pick in 2011, and he became an integral part of the team’s Tigerella run during the Philippine Cup. The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters meanwhile selected Paul Lee with the second selection and this resulted in the first championship for the franchise. Rain or Shine is the PBA’s prime example of a team that built itself up through the draft. Aside from Lee, the squad has another overall number one pick on their squad, 2008's Gabe Norwood. And while their transformation from zero to hero was by no means automatic, Lee and Norwood played integral roles in the Governors' Cup, which saw the franchise earn their first-ever title. In the 2012 PBA Draft, the Petron Blaze Boosters, arguably the most loaded PBA team on paper, ended up with the first and third picks overall thanks to two separate trades, which they used on 6'10" big man June Mar Fajardo and versatile forward Alex Mallari. It's not a stretch to say that either selection could have helped a much weaker team, had they kept those selections. Now in this recently-approved trade, Air21 sent their first round pick for the 2013 PBA Draft to Barangay Ginebra San Miguel. Yes, the Express now has a better line-up, but there's still no guarantee that they have enough talent to emerge from the cellar. This means that Ginebra has a huge shot at getting next year’s first overall pick in the draft next year, which will most likely be Ateneo’s 7'0" center Greg Slaughter. The three-team trade is tremendous for Air21.  It’s actually refreshing to see a weaker team not get the short end of the trade stick. However, this deal may not have the same effect as having the first overall pick next year. The 7-foot-tall Slaughter is a game-changer and drafting him will drastically improve Air21 if they choose to build around him. The only way to help out teams in a similar position as Air21 is to enact a new rule that protects the first three picks in the draft. The commissioner should give the weaker teams a chance to get better now, without completely sacrificing their future. In this case, Ginebra should not be able to use Air21’s pick if it lands in the top three. Air21 will get to keep that pick and Ginebra gets Air21’s 2014 first round pick instead, which by then will no longer be protected. Powerade and Rain or Shine broke through last season. It will be tremendous for the PBA if Air21 and Barako Bull do the same in the near future. It’s clear that the draft works, however, there are still loopholes in the system. One of those loopholes could be plugged by protecting the first three picks of the draft. Right now the trade looks fine. Ginebra  giving up KG Canaleta and John Wilson for a draft pick seems okay. But looking forward, Canaleta and Wilson aren’t equal to Slaughter, right? - AMD, GMA News