PBA Trade Rumors: Ginebra is trading for Terrafirma superstar in the offseason?

 

Buckle up, PBA fans, because rumors are swirling faster than Terrence Romeo on a fast break. According to our idol Homer Sayson, a potential blockbuster trade looms: Stephen Holt, the reigning (and presumptive) Rookie of the Year, to Barangay Ginebra. Sounds juicy, right?  Well, before we all jump on the Ginebra bandwagon and declare Holt the second coming of Willie Burton, let's pump the brakes for a second. Here's why this rumor might be more like a pre-season pick-up game than a championship contender.

First things first, Homer mentions a "rule" that only allows a former No. 1 pick to be traded after a full season. Now, this is where you would pull out his trusty thesaurus and unleash a vocabulary explosion about the dangers of misinformation.  There is no such rule in the PBA. Stephen Holt has been tradable since the moment Terrafirma whispered his name on draft night. So, consider that air horn the official dismissal of Reason No. 1.

Let's face it, Ginebra is currently embroiled in a dogfight of a playoff series with Meralco.  Think Coach Tim Cone is sitting around the office, whiteboard in hand, plotting a future trade for a rookie guard?  Not likely.  The man's got bigger fish to fry (or maybe that should be three-pointers to drill).  Ginebra needs to focus on the present, on getting out of this series alive, before they start worrying about next season's shiny new toys.

Now, this isn't to say a Holt-to-Ginebra trade is completely out of the realm of possibility.  Stranger things have happened in the PBA (remember that whole Brandon Rosser trade fiasco?).  But for now, the timing seems off, and the supposed rule is, well, bogus.  Ginebra has more pressing concerns, and Holt cannot technically be dealt by Terrafirma to Ginebra now.

So, PBA fans, let's take this rumor with a grain of salt (or maybe a whole shaker, considering the shaky foundation of the "one-year rule").  Hold off on photoshopping Holt into a Ginebra jersey just yet.  The offseason is still a ways off, and Ginebra has a series to win (or lose).  In the meantime, let's enjoy the playoffs, the drama, and the ever-intriguing world of PBA trade rumors, even if some of them are about as real as a PBA player with a clean bill of health.