A stunning three-team swap among the Converge FiberXers, NLEX Road Warriors, and Meralco Bolts has jolted the PBA. First reported by various media outlets about a week ago, the said trade involving five active players and one draft pick was officially approved by the league on Tuesday. The final deal looks like this:
Converge gets: Jonnel Policarpio, Kurt Reyson, Meralco’s second-round pick for the Season 52 PBA Draft.
NLEX gets: Deschon Winston and Kevin Racal
Meralco gets: Javee Mocon
Converge Gets Wing Help with Policarpio
The FiberXers were one defensive stop away from making their first-ever semis last conference. Now, they appear to be going all-out in making sure they finally make it there… and possibly beyond. That much was evident when they acquired Calvin Abueva from the Titan Ultra Giant Risers for bench players earlier. Now, they’ve pulled the trigger on another deal that netted them Policarpio.
A 6-foot-5 wing, Policarpio brings length, athleticism, and tons of untapped potential. Last conference, it seemed Policarpio had started scraping that potential, as he averaged 8.0 points and 4.5 rebounds and looked like a star in the making at times. With Converge, the Arayat-born forward will take on the role of a finisher and will likely excel in the FiberXers’ high-octane offense.
Just as important, Policarpio will be reunited with fellow Kapampangans, including coach Delta Pineda and the veteran Abueva. This means there’ll be a comfort level with Converge right off the bat, which should do wonders for the young man’s confidence.
NLEX Gets Depth, Firepower, and Veteran Leadership
The Road Warriors looked headed for a top four finish in the PBA Philippine Cup before the wheels fell off, so to speak, after Robert Bolick missed two games while playing for Gilas Pilipinas in the SEA Games. Berto’s absence exposed NLEX’s reliance on the singular brilliance of one man and the team’s need to get more talent.
Enter Winston and Racal from Converge.
The 6-foot-4 Winston is a playmaker who can put points on the board, and he should slot nicely next to Bolick and Kevin Alas as NLEX’s chief playmaker. The former La Salle Green Archer averaged 11.8 points in the Philippine Cup but largely fell off the rotation late in the conference and had to play behind Juan Gomez de Liaño and Alec Stockton. He even had to defer to Converge’s bigs, Justin Arana and Justine Baltazar, at times. At NLEX, Winston will be called upon to do what he does best: score.
Racal, meanwhile, gives the Road Warriors a veteran 3-and-D wing, although he struggled last conference, in part due to reduced playing time. But last season, Racal shot over 40% from downtown, and he’ll likely get his fair share of chances with Berto, Winston, and Alas handling playmaking duties for NLEX.
Meralco Gets Frontcourt Help
Mocon’s game has been on a downward spiral ever since leaving the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters. In fact, in the PBA Philippine Cup, he put up modest numbers of 5.6 points and 4.5 rebounds on 47.5% shooting overall.
Even so, Mocon is still only 30, with his best years possibly still in front of him. And, judging by his first few years in the league, the sixth overall pick of the 2018 PBA Draft has some game to give the Bolts. The 6-foot-4 Mocon was a double-digit scorer in each of his first four seasons and showed the ability to score inside and out. He’ll get his chance to do that again for Meralco, which is dying for some frontcourt help and interior playmaking.
Grading the Trade
Converge FiberXers: B–
There’s no denying that Policarpio is the crown jewel of this trade for Converge, and his blend of size, athleticism, and potential is certainly exciting. But he’s also far from a finished product and is still woefully inconsistent. Kurt Reyson and that draft pick, which is still two seasons away, are likely just add-ons and won’t move the needle.
But the reason Converge gets a B– is the quality of players it gave up in the deal. Winston, despite his reduced role and dwindling minutes, has proven to be one of the PBA’s more lethal scorers, a one-on-one maestro who can get buckets on all three levels. Racal, even with his struggles last conference, is still a good defender and a historically dependable shooter from deep, especially in the corner. He’s also a high-character guy who provides veteran smarts and leadership.
NLEX Road Warriors: A–
Winston, again, is a lethal scorer and playmaker, and he could be both an understudy to Bolick and his Robin at the same time. Racal, meanwhile, gives NLEX wing depth, an additional shooter, and a proven leader.
Of course, losing Policarpio could backfire, especially if he blossoms into the kind of superb two-way wing he can be. Ditto for Mocon if he rediscovers his form at Meralco. But, judging purely from their recent performances, NLEX, in essence, parted ways with inconsistent wings for a three-level scorer and a 3-and-D leader who could excel as a pressure valve from the perimeter.
Meralco Bolts: B
The Bolts gave up very little to get someone who still has some upside left in Mocon. Granted, there’s no certainty that the former San Beda Red Lion will revert to his reliable self when he was with Rain or Shine. But if he does, Meralco got itself a contributor without giving up any of its core pieces. That would be a win for a team trying to rediscover its championship mojo.
