Barangay Ginebra is expected to still be hampered by a number of injuries in the season-opening Governors’ Cup – a situation that prompted the team to make surprising changes in its lineup.

Head coach Tim Cone revealed that injured players remained doubtful to start the next season with Scottie Thompson having no timetable yet for return while Jamie Malonzo could not make it in time with his recovery from a calf injury.

Good thing, Jeremiah Gray looked to be on track for a return likely a few weeks after the opening.

“We are excited to get Miah back. It’s been over almost a year since we had him so we're excited about that. Jamie is still gonna be out for another few months  so I don't think he’ll be playing in the next conference,” said Cone in an interview with the press during the last of the PBA Draft Combine on Thursday, July 11.

Cone even revealed that, while other players are on a vacation, Gray was actually with Ginebra assistant coach Kirk Collier for an intense workout to prepare him for his PBA comeback.

“I know Miah and coach Kirk went to the province to do some intense workout to try and get him back ready. We don't think he’ll be ready to start the conference but he should be maybe within a few weeks after the opening, he might be available to us,” said Cone.

As for Thompson, it’s still unclear the current status of his back injury, but Cone said that it turned for the worse at the end of their semis series against Meralco, even prompting him to miss Gilas’ OQT campaign.

“Like I said, back issues are one of the toughest to really latch on in terms of how you rehab it .The last resort for a back is really a surgery and you want to do everything you can,except that surgery so I don’t really know where Scottie is at this point,” shared Cone.

However, with the Kings' move to deal Christian Standhardinger and Stanley Pringle to Terrafirma for Stephen Holt and Isaac Go, as well as a swap of the two team’s first round picks, Ginebra is set to become significantly younger and deep in preparation to the time they are to miss its key players.