PBA: Air21 Express 2013 draft preview

2012-13 season recap:

• Philippine Cup: 5-9 (8th), lost 0-1 to the Talk ’N Text Tropang Texters in the quarterfinals
• Commissioner’s Cup: 6-8 (8th), lost 0-1 to Alaska Aces in the quarterfinals
• Governors’ Cup: 3-6 (10th)

What happened last season?

It was a roller-coaster season for Air21. The Express were never the most talented team, starting the season with a mismatched mix of veterans and young guns. There wasn’t a lot expected of them and they were pegged to finish near the bottom of the standings.

However, the Express had some surprises up their sleeves, as they qualified for the playoffs in the Philippine Cup and the Commissioner’s Cup. It looked as if Air21 was slowly getting it. Coach Franz Pumaren was slowly forming his team, trading for trusted former Green Archers to strengthen his rotation. In the final conference, they added recently-crowned ABL MVP, Asi Taulava to anchor the middle.

Even though they missed the playoffs in the Governor’s Cup, things look bright for Air21. They have a solid core and could develop into a talented team in a couple of seasons as they continue to gel under their coach’s system.


What do they need?

When they traded away Mike Cortez to get Taulava, the move exposed the lack of playmaking options on the team. The Express has a lot of weapons, but they’ll need someone to  create for them.  Guys like Mac Cardona, Joseph Yeo, and Nino Canaleta are all talented scorers in their own right, but they’re going to need someone to find them in their right spots and make coach Pumaren’s system run.

The Express are solid at every other position except point guard. Wynne Arboleda brings a lot of experience, Bonbon Custodio is more of a scorer than playmaker, and Simon Atkins is still too raw. None of them are long-term solutions for Air21 moving forward.


Who do they pick?

Unfortunately for Air21, they have no picks in the first round, and make their initial selection 15th overall in this draft. Unless they make a trade on draft day to move up some slots, the Express will have to contend for whoever is available for them at their position.

It’s a good thing then that this draft has a lot of solid prospects at point guard for Air21 to choose from. If they’re lucky, former Gilas Cadet and ABL player Justin Melton might fall to them. Melton is an interesting mix of explosiveness and athleticism. Although he’s more of a scorer, Melton has the skills to be a capable playmaker for Air21, given the right training.

If they’re looking for more classic playmaking and consistency, then Jeric Fortuna fits the bill. The former Growling Tiger ended his UAAP career as one of the best point guards in the league. Fortuna may not be a sexy pick but he brings basketball IQ and leadership to a team that needs a steady backcourt presence.

Other possible options for Air21 in the middle of second round are former Green Archer, LA Revilla, Cebu standout Eloy Poligrates and NCAA sharpshooter Jett Vidal.

[Try out our 2013 PBA mock draft machine here]

Possible trades:

Ideally, Air21 would move up to secure the point guard they want. If RR Garcia is still on the board with the eighth pick, the Express should explore a trade with Alaska or RoS to try to get him. They can offer a combination of young guys like Vic Manuel, Mark Borboran, Ogie Menor and Simon Atkins in exchange for the eighth or ninth pick in the draft.

A more intriguing option would be to package a their second round pick and one of their young players to get an experienced and under-utilized point guard. A package of Vic Manuel and the 15th pick to Ginebra for Josh Urbiztondo or to Rain or Shine for TY Tang is possible. This helps the Express get proven talent that can come in and help immediately. - AMD, GMA News