Mikey Williams Trade Headed for Disastrous Ending if Converge Fails to Sign Him
When Converge pulled off a headline-grabbing trade to acquire the rights to Mikey Williams from TNT in exchange for Jordan Heading last May 28, the move sent shockwaves throughout the PBA.
On paper, it looked like a win-win.
Williams, a two-time PBA champion and Finals MVP, had been adrift since his falling out with TNT nearly two years ago. Converge, meanwhile, was in desperate need of a star-caliber talent to breathe life into their campaign and fan base.
But just over two weeks later, what once seemed like a bold, strategic swing for the fences by the FiberXers now risks becoming one of the most ill-fated trades in recent PBA memory—perhaps even worse than the widely criticized deals by Terrafirma and Blackwater in past years.
Despite reports on June 5 that Williams had signed the Uniformed Players Contract (UPC), a crucial step toward playing for Converge, it now seems that no progress has been made.
A source familiar with the situation shared that “it is more likely that he is not playing with Converge” and emphasized that “nobody is in contact with Mikey.” This eerily mirrors the issues that plagued his prolonged impasse with TNT, where silence and poor communication defined the fractured relationship.
The Real Issue? Money.
According to multiple insiders, the breakdown stems from Williams’ asking price—reportedly as high as $30,000 a month. For Converge, that's too much, especially for a player who hasn’t played in the PBA for 26 months and who had a lackluster stint with Strong Group Athletics in Dubai.
While Williams' camp may believe his résumé justifies such a price tag, Converge is looking at the reality: they gave up Jordan Heading—an active, capable guard—for the rights to someone they may not even sign.
That could go down as an all-time blunder.
Worse Than the “Farm Team” Deals?
If Williams ultimately doesn't suit up for Converge, this trade could rank below even the most ridiculed transactions involving the so-called "farm teams" of the PBA. At least those deals often involved active players contributing somewhere.
Here, Converge gave up a known contributor for nothing but uncertainty.
Final Thoughts
If Converge can't close the deal with Mikey, they will have handed away an asset and received none in return—a failure in both strategy and execution. More importantly, it will only deepen concerns about the direction and decision-making of one of the league’s few independent teams.
Signing the UPC was supposed to signal a fresh chapter. If that remains the only page in the book, the deal becomes one of the biggest cautionary tales in recent PBA history.
Comments
Post a Comment