SAN MIGUEL Beer is expected to acquire the prolific CJ Perez from Terrafirma in a surprise off-season trade that would make the Beermen even more formidable when they try to regain the Philippine Cup they lost in the shortened Philippine Basketball Association’s (PBA) 45th season in the Clark bubble late last year.
Terrafirma Governor Bobby Rosales told BusinessMirror that the team already submitted the trade papers to the PBA Offices on Friday morning.
“I am confirming that we already submitted [the trade papers] but we are still waiting for the PBA’s approval,” said Rosales, adding that they let go of Perez to put together the missing pieces that the Dyip need to become a competitive team.
In exchange for Perez, the Beermen will release to Terrafirma three players—Matt Rosser-Ganuelas, Russel Escoto and Gelo Alolino—plus San Miguel Beer’s first-round pick (No. 8) in the Rookie Draft next month.
“It’s hard to let go of CJ, he is a good player. But our objective is to find the missing pieces especially in the coming rookie draft,” Rosales said. “We already have the top pick and now we have the eighth pick.”
Rosales said it would be up to Head Coach John Cardel on who to pick in the first round of the draft.
“It’s really a big sacrifice and we’re sad. But we have to do it for the greater good of our team,” Rosales said.
Reyes has the makings of a franchise player. He was named the 2019 Rookie of the Year and brandished averages of 24.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 11 games last season.
San Miguel Beer officials didn’t answer calls or replied to text messages from the BusinessMirror.
With Perez in the lineup and six-time Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo expected to return from a leg injury, the Beermen are dead serious at rebooting their domination of the all-Filipino conference. They couldn’t get past the quarterfinals in Clark with Barangay Ginebra San Miguel winning the title over TNT KaTropa in six games.
PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial was tight-lipped about the trade.
“I haven’t seen it yet,” he said.
Terrafirma isn’t new to making controversial trades. Then known as Kia, the team in 2017 traded its No. 1 pick then, Christian Standhardinger, also to San Miguel Beer in exchange for Jay-R Reyes, Rashawn McCarthy and Ronald Tubid plus a 2019 first-round pick.
That trade courted controversy among the team owners and governors and also forced Chito Narvasa to resign as commissioner.