Gian Mamuyac is no longer a Rain or Shine Elasto Painter.
Rain or Shine on Thursday traded its team captain to the Phoenix Fuel Masters in exchange for the latter’s first round pick in the PBA Season 53 Draft. The Elasto Painters will also be sending to the Fuel Masters their second-round pick in the same draft.
The trade ends weeks of speculation around Mamuyac, whose contract with the Elasto Painters was set to expire. However, he and Rain or Shine management evidently couldn’t agree to terms on an extension, leading to the former Ateneo Blue Eagle being put on the trading block.
Before contract talks stalled, Mamuyac reportedly drew offers from overseas leagues, further complicating negotiations for an extension.
Now, the ball is in Phoenix’s court.
Rain or Shine’s Loss Is Phoenix’s Gain
That the Fuel Masters acquired a two-way budding star without giving up anyone of note in the active roster is a huge win for the franchise, which is banking on turning things around in the Charles Tiu era.
Critically, Mamuyac fills the void left by Evan Nelle, whom Phoenix traded previously to the NLEX Road Warriors for Sidney Onwubere. The 27-year-old guard had arguably his best conference yet in the Commissioner’s Cup, norming 13.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.2 steals to help Rain or Shine back to the semis.
That production should more than make up for the 8.1 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists Phoenix lost when they traded Nelle. Critically, Mamuyac’s size at the guard spot gives Tiu lineup flexibility, as he can use Mamu alternately with Tyler Tio at point guard or in tandem with his fellow Ateneo brethren.
Mamuyac Might Be Hard to Replace
For Rain or Shine, losing Mamuyac for practically nothing is a big blow in the interim. It is especially unfortunate given how the Elasto Painters pushed last tournament’s eventual champion, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, to six games in the semis with Mamuyac as one of the key movers.
Already without Felix Lemetti and with Stanley Pringle unlikely to get a clean bill of health anytime soon, Yeng Guiao will now have to rely exclusively on rookie Joshua David and inconsistent guards Anton Asistio and Andrei Caracut to man the point.
Those three may yet step up. But neither one of them can bring or even approximate Mamuyac’s mix of heady playmaking and defensive smarts.
And that’s unfortunate for a Rain or Shine squad that looked so promising just a conference ago.
