Converge, Phoenix mull swapping PBA Draft picks

MANILA, Philippines -- The Converge FiberXers may be moving up in this weekend’s PBA Draft, as a trade proposal with the Phoenix Fuel Masters has been submitted to the commissioner’s office.

PBA deputy commissioner Eric Castro, during the PBA Draft Combine on Thursday, confirmed that the two teams proposed a pick swap, which would also bring sharpshooter Bryan Santos to Phoenix.

Phoenix will pick second overall in the draft, after a 12th-place finish in the PBA Governors’ Cup, an 11th-place result in the Commissioner’s Cup, and a ninth-place final ranking in the Philippine Cup.

Converge, on the other hand, is will select eighth overall after making the quarterfinals in all conferences of PBA Season 49.

Aside from the first round pick swap, the proposal also deals a PBA Season 51 adraft second round pick from Phoenix to Converge.

The trade, however, is still yet to be approved.

Fuel Masters head coach Willy Wilson, also during the Combine, neither confirmed nor denied the deal yet, but he underscored “possible reasons” for the proposal.

“One reason could be that based on the composition of our team, we’re not comfortable with what is perceived to be at the top of the draft board as far as fitting with what we have and the direction that we're going,” Wilson said.

“What we are receiving possibly, we perceive that to be a better fit with what we have at the direction that we are going,” he added.

Wilson, who was recently named the new head coach of the Fuel Masters, still stressed that the talent pool of this draft is still deep.

Among those who are eyeing to be drafted are Juan Gomez de-Liano, Dalph Panopio, Geo Chiu and Will Gozum. 

“Just maybe not in the perceived sense of what we've seen in the past, but I think that there are a vast array of very skilled players out there,” he said.

“It's just, you know, we don't have the big, you know, the big names that we've all been hoping would be part of it.”