MANILA – San Miguel Corporation sports director Alfrancis Chua denied not offering a contract extension to free agent Barangay Ginebra Kings center Gregory Slaughter.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Chua said that Slaughter did not show up in the team’s office the week after the Kings won the 2019 Governors’ Cup Finals against the Meralco Bolts to talk about the contract renewal.
“Ang daming nagsasabi, we didn’t offer a contract,” Chua said. “Alam niyo, sa basketball, PBA or sa corporate, kapag expired ang contract mo, ikaw ang lalapit sa team.”
“You are going to ask, expired na ako, baka puwede akong mag-renew. Hindi kami ang lalapit para tanungin kung irerenew ka namin. Sa dami ng players, hindi namin malalaman,” he added.
Chua also denied rumors that the former Gilas Pilipinas center was in the traded route to NorthPort Batang Pier for Christian Standhardinger – the supposed reason why Slaughter decided to take a leave from basketball.
“Hindi ko naman nakausap si Greg,” said Chua. “Nakausap niya si coach Tim (Cone), nagsabi si Tim na gusto raw magpahinga, so nasa sa kanya ‘yun. Gusto niya magpahinga.”
“Kung hindi galing sa amin ang trade news, wag kayo maniwala,” he added. “May nangyayari na rumor daw, ite-trade daw, may rumor daw na walang kontrata. Paano magkaka-kontrata eh naglalaro pa. Kung may trade rumor, punta kayo ng PBA kung may sinubmit kami na trade form.”
“Lahat ng nage-expire [ang contracts], may offer ‘yan. They go to the office, may offer ‘yan. Lahat ‘yan. I never talked to him, even all the management, pati ‘yung higher management,” he said.
If ever Ginebra fail to make an offer to Slaughter, whether through e-mail or delivering the offer sheet to his last known address within the last 30 days since the expiration of his contract on Jan. 31, he will become an unrestricted free agent.
“If no offer is made within 30 days, the player is a free agent,” said PBA deputy commissioner Eric Castro. “If there’s a valid offer of at least one year, the team has the right to match forever.”/PN
