source: Waylon Galvez | mb.com.ph
If plans push through for telecommunication tycoon Manny V. Pangilinan to join the Sacramento Kings, it will not happen in the coming NBA Season of 2011-2012, but in the next two or three years.
A reliable source said that while there is “serious interest” in taking over the struggling franchise, Pangilinan may have to wait since the team’s owner – the Maloof family which has 80 percent share – had reportedly agreed to stay in Sacramento.
The Maloofs reportedly tried to relocate the Kings to Anaheim, California, but Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, a former NBA player, was able to convince the owners to stay for one more season as they try to gather their resources to build a new arena.
This is where Pangilinan, who owns various businesses in the country and in Hong Kong, will probably come in to help the city of Sacramento keep the Kings.
Pangilinan’s group is currently in San Francisco to attend several business meetings, as well as watch exhibition games of Ateneo and San Beda College.
While meeting Johnson is not part of their schedule, the source said that a meeting could take place if the city Mayor will arrange it for the group to discuss the possibility of Pangilinan joining the NBA team in the future.
“We didn’t come here for that (meeting with Johnson),” said the source who asked not to be named. “But if they’d like to talk to us, then probably we can meet them. It’s them who want us, not the other way around.”
The source also said that if ever Pangilinan agrees to join Sacramento’s NBA team, it’s likely to happen in 2012-2013 Season, saying: “I doubt if this will be next season since the Maloofs have decided to stay in Sacramento.”
Pangilinan’s group will travel to Hong Kong on May 19 to attend a big anniversary celebration of the First Pacific Company on May 20.
Meanwhile, Talk ’N Text coach Chot Reyes said yesterday that there’s a possibility for guard Jimmy Alapag and forward Kelly Williams to play a couple of games for the Tropang Texters in the Governor’s Cup since they want to help TNT win the coveted “Grand Slam.”
TNT will start its Governor’s Cup campaign with back-to-back games in Dubai against Ginebra on June 2 and B-Meg on June 3.
Alapag and Williams were named by Smart-Gilas Pilipinas Serbian mentor Rajko Toroman together with Asi Taulava of Meralco and Dondon Hontiveros of Air21 to reinforce the national team in the FIBA-Asia Championship in September in Wuhan, China.
But Alapag and Williams will join the team after the FIBA-Asia Championship.
Meantime, Alaska has traded rookie forward Elmer Espiritu – its No. 4 overall pick in last year’s PBA Rookie Draft – to Air21 for veteran wingman Wesley Gonzales. The deal is up for approval by PBA Commissioner Chito Salud.
If plans push through for telecommunication tycoon Manny V. Pangilinan to join the Sacramento Kings, it will not happen in the coming NBA Season of 2011-2012, but in the next two or three years.
A reliable source said that while there is “serious interest” in taking over the struggling franchise, Pangilinan may have to wait since the team’s owner – the Maloof family which has 80 percent share – had reportedly agreed to stay in Sacramento.
The Maloofs reportedly tried to relocate the Kings to Anaheim, California, but Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, a former NBA player, was able to convince the owners to stay for one more season as they try to gather their resources to build a new arena.
This is where Pangilinan, who owns various businesses in the country and in Hong Kong, will probably come in to help the city of Sacramento keep the Kings.
Pangilinan’s group is currently in San Francisco to attend several business meetings, as well as watch exhibition games of Ateneo and San Beda College.
While meeting Johnson is not part of their schedule, the source said that a meeting could take place if the city Mayor will arrange it for the group to discuss the possibility of Pangilinan joining the NBA team in the future.
“We didn’t come here for that (meeting with Johnson),” said the source who asked not to be named. “But if they’d like to talk to us, then probably we can meet them. It’s them who want us, not the other way around.”
The source also said that if ever Pangilinan agrees to join Sacramento’s NBA team, it’s likely to happen in 2012-2013 Season, saying: “I doubt if this will be next season since the Maloofs have decided to stay in Sacramento.”
Pangilinan’s group will travel to Hong Kong on May 19 to attend a big anniversary celebration of the First Pacific Company on May 20.
Meanwhile, Talk ’N Text coach Chot Reyes said yesterday that there’s a possibility for guard Jimmy Alapag and forward Kelly Williams to play a couple of games for the Tropang Texters in the Governor’s Cup since they want to help TNT win the coveted “Grand Slam.”
TNT will start its Governor’s Cup campaign with back-to-back games in Dubai against Ginebra on June 2 and B-Meg on June 3.
Alapag and Williams were named by Smart-Gilas Pilipinas Serbian mentor Rajko Toroman together with Asi Taulava of Meralco and Dondon Hontiveros of Air21 to reinforce the national team in the FIBA-Asia Championship in September in Wuhan, China.
But Alapag and Williams will join the team after the FIBA-Asia Championship.
Meantime, Alaska has traded rookie forward Elmer Espiritu – its No. 4 overall pick in last year’s PBA Rookie Draft – to Air21 for veteran wingman Wesley Gonzales. The deal is up for approval by PBA Commissioner Chito Salud.
