Three-way trade deal sends Oftana to Tropa

MANILA, Philippines — TNT is set to welcome one of coach Chot Reyes’ new wards at Gilas Pilipinas, Calvin Oftana, while parting ways with veteran national team mainstay Troy Rosario.

This as the Tropang Giga, Oftana’s team NLEX and Blackwater agreed to a three-team, six-player trade deal ahead of next week’s PBA Commissioner’s Cup opening.

Under the proposed swap, the Bossing will get Oftana and Raul Soyud from the Road Warriors in exchange for No.1 rookie pick Brandon Ganuelas Rosser and Paul Desiderio. The Bossing will then ship Oftana and Soyud over to the Tropang Giga for Rosario and Gab Banal.

Oftana is bound for a reunion with Reyes after their first Gilas collaboration in the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers fourth window games versus Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.

Rosario, for his part, is about to end a six-year partnership with TNT highlighted by the 2021 Philippine Cup conquest and start a new one with Blackwater, a team looking to sustain its quarterfinal run in the last All-Filipino and wash away the memories of its dubious 29-game skid.

The trade proposal awaits approval from the PBA.

Meanwhile, Rain or Shine, under returning coach Yeng Guiao, tapped Steve Taylor as its import in place of original choice Daniel Ochefu.

The 6-foot-9 Taylor is expected to arrive from LA today and should get a week’s worth of practice before the Elasto Painters start their campaign against Guiao’s previous team NLEX on Sept. 23.

Guest team Bay Area Dragons of Hong Kong and rejuvenated Blackwater Bossing kick off hostilities on Wednesday at the MOA Arena as the PBA Commissioner’s Cup returns from its pandemic-forced absence.

The Dragons, reinforced by NBA veteran Andrew Nicholson and 7-foot-5 Chinese Liu Chuanxing, plunge into action in its maiden PBA stint right away at 3 p.m. in the opener of a double-header marking the first Commissioner’s Cup play since 2019.