Talk N Text gets Terrence Romeo for Moala Tautuaa, draft picks

MANILA, Philippines — TNT KaTropa acquired three-time PBA scoring champion Terrence Romeo from GlobalPort in the end yesterday with a trade package including center/forward Moala Tautuaa plus the Texters’ 2020 first-round draft pick and 2021 second-round choice.

The two teams struck a deal that got the approval of the PBA Commissioner’s Office after weeks of tedious negotiations.

They had had an initial agreement also involving Romeo and Tautuaa but didn’t get the nod of the league. The trade proposal then was Romeo and Bradwyn Guinto for Tautuaa and Alfrancis Tamsi.

But TNT and GlobalPort stayed on the negotiation table especially after Romeo figured in an ugly altercation with coach Pido Jarencio during their quarterfinal match with the Magnolia Hotshots.

At TNT, Romeo is reunited with former FEU backcourt tandem RR Garcia and will also be teaming up with Gilas pals Jayson Castro, Troy Rosario and RR Pogoy.

The Texters shored up their backcourt rotation with Romeo but lost significant strength at the paint in giving away Tautuaa. The team had earlier dealt 6-foot-7 forward Norbert Torres for wing man Don Trollano.

Left with only Rosario, Kelly Williams, Papot Paredes and Frank Golla as post players, the Texters are likely to continue to tweak their lineup.