Phoenix has traded the No. 4 pick in the 2018 PBA Rookie Draft to NLEX, in exchange for Dave Marcelo and Alex Mallari.
The transaction, first reported by sports website Spin, was confirmed by Phoenix coach Louie Alas on Thursday at the sidelines of the PBA Draft Combine.
“Naghahanap din naman ako ng point guard sa pick,” said Alas. “Ito available ngayon, so why not?”
Mallari played seven games and averaged just over six points per game for the Road Warriors in the 2018 Governors’ Cup. Marcelo played eight games and normed a little over two points per game.
“Pakundisyon lang si Dave,” said Alas. “Bakit ka pa maghihintay kung ‘di mo aabutan ‘yun? Hindi natin alam kung sino ang kukunin ng 1 to 3. Ito, and’yan na sa harap ko.”
Alas is confident that both Marcelo and Mallari will deliver for a Phoenix team that earned the second-seed in the Governors’ Cup, but crashed in the quarterfinals to Meralco.
“Mallari is a winner, Dave Marcelo is a winner. Sino ba ang hinahanap namin? ‘Yung mga winner,” he said.
Phoenix still owns the No. 12 pick in the first round, and Alas said he intends to pick either a point guard or a big man, depending on who is available.
“Gusto ko ‘yung makikipagpalitan ng mukha,” he said.
The PBA Rookie Draft is on Sunday at Robinson’s Place Ermita.
