PBA Free Agency: San Miguel superstar and other 2018 draft batch can ENTER UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENCY!
Are we sure we fully appreciate what is about to happen to the PBA landscape?
We’ve officially reached the seven-year mark for the historic 2018 PBA Draft class. Under the league's unrestricted free agency rule—which allows players who have completed seven seasons in the PBA to test the open market without their mother teams holding right-of-first-refusal—we are about to enter a wild new frontier. This was the draft class that injected serious juice into the league, and now, the rules of engagement are officially shifting.
The Crown Jewel Locked in the Vault
The 2018 draft was headlined by CJ Perez, the undisputed number-one overall pick who has lived up to every single ounce of superstar hype. When a top-tier player hits the seven-year milestone, rival general managers usually start salivating. However, there hasn't been a single peep or headline regarding Perez's contract coming to an end. San Miguel knows better than anyone that you don't let a prime two-way engine even sniff the open market, meaning CJ likely remains safely tucked away in the Beermen vault.
The Megastar Off the Board
Then you have Robert Bolick—the other absolute franchise changer from that draft. If Bolick had hit unrestricted free agency right now while putting up MVP-caliber numbers, we would be looking at a absolute league-wide bidding war. But NLEX played grandmaster chess, stepping up and locking him down to a massive three-year max extension. By backing up the truck, NLEX took the most enticing potential UFA completely off the board before the chaos could even start.
The Real UFA Watchlist
So where does that leave the actual free agency drama? It comes down to three versatile starters from that 2018 class who could legitimately shake up the playoff race if they decide to exercise their rights:
Javee Mocon: The ultimate high-IQ glue guy. Every contender in the league is constantly hunting for a physical wing who can defend three positions, crash the glass, and make winning plays without demanding 20 shots a night.
Bong Quinto: One of the most reliable, underrated playmaking wings in the country. Quinto’s ability to run secondary actions and facilitate off the bench makes him a dream target for teams lacking backcourt depth.
Abu Tratter: Pure interior size and athletic rebounding. In a league where capable, battle-tested big men are treated like gold dust, Tratter entering UFA will spark plenty of late-night front-office phone calls.
The 2018 draft class gave us elite top-heavy star power and relentless rotational depth. Now that the seven-year clock has officially run out, the teams that act fast could grab the exact piece they need to flip the balance of power.
Related Article: PBA Free Agency: NLEX can really pay Bolick P1 Million?
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