The PBA finally gave the green light for Philippine Cup champion TNT to acquire forward Carl Bryan Cruz from Blackwater.
Cruz officially became a member of the Tropang Giga after the Commissioner’s Office approved Friday, Dec. 3 the revised trade that will give the Bossing veteran Jay Washington and two second round draft picks in 2022 and 2025.
Both teams initially agreed on a deal that would send Cruz and rookie big man Reymark Acuno to TNT in exchange for Chris Javier and a future first round pick.
It appears that that deal was given a thumbs down by the league, prompting TNT and Blackwater to head back on the negotiating table to make a few changes.
With the deal done, the Tropang Giga got a serviceable big man in Cruz, known for physicality and ability to play the perimeter game.
But the former Gilas Pilipinas cager dealt with a knee injury in 2020, though Cruz was able to play seven games for Blackwater in the Philippine Cup.
Cruz’s addition came after the Tropang Giga landed Gab Banal from free agency as part of some small moves the team made in the aftermath of their championship run.
Blackwater, on the other hand, has been busy making a big overhaul of its lineup following a winless campaign in the first conference.
The Bossing got the 40-year-old Washington, who played just one game last conference.