TNT lands no. 4 pick in trade with NLEX, Blackwater

NLEX lost its number four pick, but they got the improving Roi Sumang. PBA Images (file photo)

By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA--NLEX coach Yeng Guiao said on Wednesday night that his team will do some PBA Draft surprises.

On Thursday, they just did one.

The Road Warriors gave up one of their two regular first round picks for Sunday's draft proceedings, the number four pick in the regular rounds, to sister team TNT Tropang Giga in a blockbuster trade announced by the PBA trade committee.

Due to trade restrictions between sister teams, Blackwater was tapped as the conduit to make the trade happen, gaining two future picks in the process.

NLEX let go of its number four pick but got Roi Sumang, Don Trollano, Maurice Shaw, and Blackwater's 2022 second round pick.

The Elite, on the other hand, got Simon Enciso and David Semerad as well as the Tropang Giga's 2023 first round and 2024 second round picks.

With the approved swap, TNT, which did not have any pick in the first two rounds of the upcoming draft, now has an early first rounder that could be of good use as they look to build on from their finals return last season, the comeback of Head Coach Chot Reyes, and Ray-Ray Parks' surprise decision to skip the upcoming PBA season.

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