WITHOUT a single selection in the rich PBA Season 48 Rookie Draft, TNT Tropang Giga went trading with Rain or Shine (ROS) to acquire the latter’s No. 15 draftee Henry Galinato.
The 6-foot-7 Mr. Galinato was one of three big men picked by the Elasto Painters after No. 3 Luis Villegas and No. 4 Keith Datu. The last two were already signed to three-year contracts by ROS.
Per pre-draft agreement, Rain or Shine shipped Mr. Galinato over to TNT and added veteran frontliner Jewel Ponferada to the deal submitted to the PBA for approval yesterday.
In return, the Tropang Giga sent Dave Marcelo together with their first round pick in Season 50 over to the Elasto Painters.
TNT, which decided to pass when it had its turn to draft in the third round, is in need of a frontliner with Poy Erram recovering from a knee procedure.
Ahead of their Governors’ Cup title defense in November, the Tropang Giga will plunge into action in the East Asia Super League first. They play in the international league’s opener on Oct. 11 against host Chiba Jets of Japan. — Olmin Leyba
