In what is seen as an effort to stop the bleeding as PBA top talents venture out to overseas leagues, the PBA is imposing a three-year ban on players, including drafted rookies, who got an offer from their mother teams and still opted to sign elsewhere, locally or internationally.

The ruling was reportedly passed by the PBA board of governors during the last board meeting on July 17 – a decision that is hoped to discourage players from leaving their teams once their contracts expire.

The ban came in the wake of another exodus of PBA stars, with Arvin Tolentino and William Navarro leaving NorthPort and Magnolia, respectively, to sign with separate teams in the Korean Basketball League, and Jamie Malonzo opting out of Ginebra to join Japan’s B. League.

Under the new ruling, a player will receive a three-year ban if he refuses to sign with their mother teams despite a valid tender offer of a new contract.

And reports said the three players were all covered by the ruling.

It also included players who refused to re-negotiate their contract extension and then signed elsewhere, as well as rookies who got drafted and received an offer but did not sign, similar to the case of Dave Ildefonso and the Batang Pier.

An exception to the rule, however, are players who are released by teams or not offered a new contract by their mother team within the 30-day grace period from the expiration of his Uniform Players Contract, making them unrestricted free agents.

Players who already played seven seasons or 21 conferences and eligible to turn into a free agent are also not included in the ruling.