PBA Free Agency: Should San Miguel and MVP teams offer that P900,000 a month to Ahanmisi?

 

Maverick Ahanmisi, the 6-foot-2, 190-pound Converge juggernaut, is set to become an unrestricted free agent "sometime between the end of May and June 6 this year," according to a source familiar with his contractual situation. After playing seven years in the league, including a title run with Rain or Shine in 2016, Ahanmisi will explore the open market to determine his value at age 31.

A Converge executive expressed interest in retaining Ahanmisi, but stated that his contract needs to be discussed. Ahanmisi's value cannot be understated as a two-way player with enthusiasm on offense and energy on defense. In the past Governor's Cup conference, he averaged 20.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game.

According to Snow Badua, Ahanmisi is seeking a monthly salary of P900,000, which is significantly higher than the current pay for several starting-caliber point guards in the league. However, considering the current league landscape, where Converge is now seen as a threat to the long-standing duopoly of the San Miguel Corporation and the MVP group, signing Ahanmisi would be a significant thing for SMC and the MVP group. It will take out the best performing player of Converge.

I also think that Maverick can easily fit Ginebra and Magnolia of the SMC group. The two teams has an aging guard rotation. While Meralco and NLEX are in need of that quality of a big guard.

In my opinion, Ahanmisi is worth the money. He has proven to be a superb starter, and his skills will undoubtedly be valuable to Converge. As a free agent, Ahanmisi will have the opportunity to evaluate his worth on the open market. With his talent and experience, there will certainly be other teams interested in acquiring his services.

Ultimately, it will come down to whether Converge is willing to meet Ahanmisi's salary demands and if he is willing to continue with the team. Given the competitive nature of the league and the importance of securing top talent, Converge may need to pay a premium to keep Ahanmisi on their roster. However, if they are unable to meet his salary requirements, other teams will undoubtedly be interested in signing him, which could have a significant impact on the league's balance of power.