IN a one-on-one swap that was completed yesterday, the Blackwater Elite sent veteran point guard Mike Cortez to the GlobalPort Batang Pier in exchange for seldom-used wingman Ronald Pascual.
The move is set to make the Batang Pier’s backcourt even more formidable than it already is.
Cortez joins the deadly backcourt tandem of stars Terrence Romeo and Stanley Pringle along with Joseph Yeo.
The 13-year veteran is expected to be the stabilizer among GlobalPort’s scoring guards.
On the other hand, the youthful Pascual, once a highly-touted talent out of San Sebastian College but who has seen limited minutes in his pro career thus far, will be given an opportunity to showcase his offensive prowess as the Elite is in bad need of more firepower.
He will join a relatively young core of Carlo Lastimosa, Reil Cervantes, Arthur Dela Cruz, Roi Sumang and JP Erram.
After Blackwater signed free agent point guard Denok Miranda two weeks ago, dealing Cortez made sense for the team.
The trade papers have already reached the PBA office as well.