PBA Trade Rumors: Raymond Almazan was first offered to TNT

(c) PBA Media Bureau

How did Raymond Almazan end up with the Meralco Bolts? That is the question that we will try to answer today.

According to sources, it was first offered to TNT but coach Mark Dickel did not want Raymond. After that, they offered it to Meralco who proposed Jared Dillinger and a 1st round pick. That was rejected by Rain or Shine and instead asked for two 1st round picks.

Meralco took the bait.

Assuming that our sources were right on cue, did TNT made the right call of rejecting the trade offer?

With their current playing style, I actually see Raymond as a great fit for them. He is athletic, can defend and can shoot from three. 

His ability to shoot from beyond the arc is important because that is emphasized by TNT. This Philippine Cup, he averaged 3.1 attempts from beyond the arc. 

So, I think the reason why coach Mark rejected the offer was the price of two first-round picks. For TNT, those two 1st round picks are not that valuable, although those picks could be more important for an aging TNT than Meralco.

For Meralco, replacing Jared Dillinger with a 1st round pick is a risky proposition. Although, Rain or Shine may not have pushed through with the exchange. 

What happened legitimized the Elasto Painters as an elite franchise in my eyes. They wanted two first round picks and they never bent their will until they got what they wanted.