The PBA rumor mill has been in overdrive with reports that TNT Tropang 5G made a play for Rain or Shine’s standout guard, Gian Mamuyac. But the proposed compensation? A mere second-round pick.
Naturally, the Elasto Painters’ front office reportedly rejected the idea, and they were absolutely right to do so. You simply do not trade a prime, high-IQ, established rotation piece for a developmental dart throw. However, instead of just hanging up the phone and walking away, Rain or Shine has a golden opportunity to counter with a masterstroke—a complicated, highly specific demand that turns a lowball offer into a massive win.
The Problem with TNT’s Second-Rounders
If we are talking about a standard TNT second-round pick—especially one pushed out to 2028 or beyond—it is incredibly easy to see why Rain or Shine said no.
TNT is a perennial championship contender. Because the PBA draft order is determined by team standings, TNT's draft picks are almost always anchored at the very bottom of the board. A late second-round pick in 2028 is practically a phantom asset. Trading a highly productive, 27-year-old guard like Mamuyac for the 22nd or 23rd overall pick three years from now is a guaranteed way to lose a trade.
The Ultimate Counter-Offer
Here is where Rain or Shine can get creative and test how badly TNT actually wants their guy. The Elasto Painters can return to the negotiating table and say, "We agree. One second-round pick is enough to get the deal done."
But there is a massive catch: it cannot be just any second-round pick. The asking price should be exactly the 2027 second-round pick of Blackwater, an asset that is currently owned by the NLEX Road Warriors.
Why the Blackwater Pick Changes Everything
In the PBA, not all draft picks are created equal. Because Blackwater frequently finishes near the bottom of the league standings, their second-round pick is essentially a late first-round selection.
Owning the first or second pick of the second round in 2027 gives Rain or Shine access to premium collegiate talent that inevitably slips out of the first round. It is a highly valuable, tangible asset that perfectly aligns with Rain or Shine's youth movement. By asking for this specific pick, Rain or Shine upgrades the return from a "throwaway asset" to a legitimate building block.
If this happen, Rain or Shine basically got a 2nd round pick that is as valuable as a middle 1st round pick. In our latest mock draft that you can read here: 2026 PBA Mock Draft: Ginebra found the next Japeth Aguilar? FULL 2 ROUNDS! , Clint Escamis, an NCAA MVP, was chosen as the #1 of the 2nd round.
Keeping it in the (MVP) Family
You might ask: How can TNT trade a pick that NLEX currently owns?
That is the absolute beauty of this counter-offer. NLEX and TNT are sister teams operating under the MVP Group umbrella. While direct trades between sister teams are scrutinized, three-team frameworks or separate, sequential trades to move assets within the MVP ecosystem happen frequently.
If TNT truly wants to secure Mamuyac for coach Chot Reyes' system, they have the internal leverage and front-office pathways to orchestrate a side-deal with NLEX to acquire that specific Blackwater pick. Rain or Shine effectively puts the ball in TNT's court, forcing them to do the heavy lifting.
By setting this specific condition, Rain or Shine accomplishes three things:
They establish value: They prove they know exactly what Mamuyac is worth on the open market.
They test TNT's resolve: They force the Tropang 5G to prove how badly they want the player by navigating a complex, multi-team asset swap.
They secure the future: They turn a disrespectful initial offer into a premium draft asset.
If TNT can pull the strings, acquire that Blackwater 2027 second-rounder from NLEX, and send it to the Elasto Painters, the trade suddenly makes sense. TNT gets the reliable backcourt depth they desperately crave, and Rain or Shine secures a top-tier draft asset. In the high-stakes poker game of PBA trades, this is exactly the kind of strategic counter-move Rain or Shine should make.
Related Article: PBA Trade Rumors: Blackwater will keep Barefield and David?
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