MANILA – Veteran point guard Baser Amer is heading to the free agency market at the start of New Year on Monday after deciding not to renew his contract with Blackwater Bossing.
According to Amer’s agent, Danny Espiritu, he is in the process of securing the release papers of the former San Beda University Red Lions guard from the Bossing for him to find a new team.
“Based on the PBA rules, teams have 30 days to offer their players with lapsed deals, but Blackwater may no longer exercise this as there was a mutual agreement to part ways,” Espiritu said in an interview with Tiebreaker Times.
He added: “Hopefully, we’ll be able to get it (release papers from Blackwater) soon so that he can quickly find a new team that is interested on his services by the start of the New Year.”
The 31-year-old Amer has previously signed a one-year contract with the Bossing late last year but was not able to find a decent playing time with Blackwater due to his on-and-off calf injury.
The Davao City-native point guard started his professional basketball career when he was selected by Meralco Bolts as their seventh overall pick during the 2015 PBA Rookie Draft.
Amer, a three-time PBA All-Star from 2017 to 2019, stayed with the Bolts until 2021 when he was traded to the Bossing along with Bryan Faundo in exchange for Rey Mark Belo.
The six-foot Amer was the second veteran player who opted not to renew his contract with the Bossing aside from three-point gunner Rashawn McCarthy, whose contract will also expire by Dec. 31, 2023.
The Bossing currently has several rookies on their roster namely James Canlas Kwekuteye, Archie Concepcion, Christian David, and Clifford Jopia, who came from a NCAA title run with San Beda University Red Lions.
Despite the entry of Jeffrey Cariaso as the new Blackwater head coach this season, the Bossing remained at the cellar of the 2023-2024 PBA Commissioner’s Cup with a 1-8 record./PN
