🏰 San Miguel’s Tactical Masterstroke: The Buzz Around Acquiring Greg Slaughter’s Rights
A major rumor is currently swirling around the PBA sphere, suggesting that the San Miguel Beermen (SMB) are interested in trading for the rights of $7$-foot center Greg Slaughter. While Slaughter is currently playing in the MPBL for the Basilan Starhorse and is eyeing a PBA comeback, his rights are currently owned by the Titan Ultra Giant Risers (who acquired the franchise formerly held by NorthPort).
This potential trade is not just about adding talent; it would be a magnificent tactical play that could solidify San Miguel’s dominance for the rest of the decade, ensuring they possess an advantage no other team can truly match.
The Problem San Miguel Solves
The core of San Miguel’s dynasty has always been the interior presence of June Mar Fajardo. However, Fajardo, now in his mid-$30$s, is a high-mileage player, and the team needs an elite, capable back-up or running mate who can withstand the physicality of championship basketball.
Acquiring Slaughter's rights would provide the following:
1. Guaranteed Size Advantage, All Game Long
The primary genius of the move is simple: it assures them that they will have the biggest player on the court for the entire game.
The Power Rotation: With the $6'10"$ Fajardo and the $7'0"$ Slaughter, San Miguel can deploy a massive, rotating center tandem. When Fajardo rests, Slaughter steps in, ensuring the opposing team never gets a reprieve from dealing with a legitimate, league-altering giant.
The Fatigue Factor: This rotation allows SMB to keep Fajardo’s minutes in check, reducing his injury risk, while Slaughter (who is also injury-prone) can be managed with a defined, powerful role. They trade high minutes for high impact.
2. The Return of the Twin Towers—But for San Miguel
The original "Twin Towers" setup of Slaughter and Japeth Aguilar at Ginebra was one of the most formidable frontcourts in league history. San Miguel, which has experimented with smaller centers to complement Fajardo, could now revive this concept with a far more dominant combination.
In certain lineups, Coach Jorge Gallent could pair Fajardo and Slaughter together, creating a historical size mismatch that would immediately translate to offensive rebounding domination and suffocating paint defense.
The Feasibility of the Trade
While the tactical fit is seamless, the trade itself would be complex, as Titan Ultra currently holds Slaughter’s rights and has expressed interest in luring him back to the PBA.
Titan's Stance: Titan needs a center, but they are unlikely to trade the rights to a player who can fill that need and bring significant star power unless the return is substantial. They would demand a premium price, likely a combination of draft picks and proven assets.
San Miguel's Price: San Miguel has demonstrated a willingness to pay a high price for talent that secures championships. If they view the Fajardo-Slaughter tandem as the final piece to securing the next few titles, they will undoubtedly open the trade vault.
Should San Miguel complete this deal, it would be more than just a roster upgrade; it would be a strategic move to neutralize the size advantage of every other team and cement their status as the most physically dominant team in the PBA.
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