TWO first round picks in the recent PBA Rookie Draft swapped places in a deal pulled off by the San Mig Coffee Mixers and the GlobalPort Batang Pier.
San Mig sent Justin Chua, the 10th overall pick, and veteran forward Leo Najorda to GlobalPort in exchange for the seventh overall pick Isaac Holstein.
In a report in Spin.ph, San Mig head coach Tim Cone explained that the team decided to move Chua to GlobalPort to give him more exposure.
Had he stayed with San Mig, Chua will be competing playing minutes with big men Marc Pingris, Rafi Reavis, Yandcy de Ocampo, fellow rookie Ian Sangalang and Jewel Ponferada.
Globalport is one of the busiest teams in the league as they prepare for the upcoming All-Filipino Cup of the 39th PBA season set to start Nov. 17.
In separate deals, GlobalPort acquired Denok Miranda and Enrico Villanueva and traded Gary David and Willie Miller.
Aside from acquiring the six-foot-seven Holstein in Sunday’s Draft, GlobalPort also snagged Terrence Romeo, RR Garcia, Nico Salva, Jopher Custodio and LA Revilla. /EDITORIAL ASSISTANT CALVIN D. CORDOVA