PBA Trade Rumors: Magnolia is choosing between two young giant centers?

Let us start with a question. San Miguel Corporation has three franchises in the PBA, right? And those franchises just suffered defeat at the hands of the flagship franchise of their rival.

So, it was not shocking that San Miguel Beermen and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel have made their moves.

But wait, the team that reached the finals and was handled easily by TNT Tropang Giga, is still on a status quo.

The biggest rumor surrounding Magnolia right now is still about Greg Slaughter. According to PBA on the Go, the backup options are Troy Rike and James Laput.

Which one is better for Magnolia?

Size-wise, both are at 6'8. Although, Laput could be nearer to 6'9. Athleticism-wise, Laput may have an edge but Rike could be stronger.

The skillset of the two is quite different. James is more of the traditional center. He scores inside. He tries to maximize his size to help his team.

Rike is a modern bigman. He is a willing shooter from beyond the arc and delivered a very strong accuracy rate, last tournament.

Knowing the problem of Magnolia, Rike is obviously the better fit.