LOYALTY SWAP | CALVIN ABUEVA FOR TWO PLAYERS AND A ROOKIE

I’m starting to believe that Titan Ultra is no longer SMC’s farm team.

It’s a hot take, sure—but you can’t convince me otherwise.

And here’s why.

What exactly is SMC supposed to get out of this if the Giant Risers are willing to trade their best players to Converge?

A few days after Johnedel Cardel was let go as Titan Ultra’s coach, Calvin Abueva—the Philippine Cup’s leading scorer—was shipped to the FiberXers in exchange for two players who barely see action and a rookie who hasn’t played a single minute this season… yet is already on his third team.

And no, this isn’t a diss on King Caralipio, Rey Suerte, or Mark Denver Omega. In fact, I’ve long wanted Caralipio, a former NCAA Finals MVP, to land in Titan Ultra and reunite with his Letran teammates. He’s clearly underutilized in Converge, and with real minutes, he could easily become an up-and-coming version of Don Trollano.

That said, suggesting that those three are enough to land Calvin Abueva is batshit insane.

That’s like the Milwaukee Bucks accepting a trade from the Knicks centered on Landry Shamet, Pacome Dadiet, and Ariel Hukporti for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Sure, those guys might pop off if given the chance—but we’re talking about a player who practically did everything for his team. Calvin Abueva was Titan Ultra’s Giannis. And I genuinely can’t believe the PBA thought this was a good idea.

Now, granted, The Beast allegedly wanted out. Maybe he got tired of carrying the load night after night. Yes, this could be another career rebirth for him—but let’s not forget, Abueva is 38 years old. Even a genetic freak like Abueva needs help and needs at least a sure playoff appearance. You can’t fault Abueva for chasing the best opportunity available. Fans can criticize, poke holes in what-ifs, and lament careers that could’ve been better if players were more assertive earlier on—but at the end of the day, they’re the ones playing. We’re just watching.

That said, I blame Titan Ultra for this mess.

Yes, Titan Ultra is to blame.

No matter how you slice it, it’s a terrible look to trade away your franchise guy and not get at least one legitimate starter in return. Converge is projected to roll out a core of Justin Arana, Justine Baltazar, Alec Stockton, Schonny Winston, and Juan Gomez de Liano. You’d think Titan Ultra would’ve tried to at least pry away Winston—whose minutes have been shrinking—or Stockton, who’s been rumored to have issues within the team because of the costly mistakes he committed in their quarterfinal matchup against Barangay Ginebra.

And if not them, why not explore the rest of Converge’s roster? Larry Muyang. Archie Concepcion. MJ Garcia. Yes, they’re Delta Pineda’s Pampanga guys—but we’re talking about Calvin Abueva here. And what about future picks? Maybe Converge doesn’t have much to offer this season, but surely a fourth future asset could’ve added some semblance of value to Titan Ultra’s underwhelming haul.

Now, to be fair, Titan Ultra will also debut NCAA Season 101 Finals MVP Bryan Sajonia in the coming conference.

That's good.

So will the Letran–San Beda connection finally pay off for Titan Ultra?

Maybe?

But with everything happening on the Converge side, it’s hard not to feel like the PBA wants the FiberXers to build a super roster capable of going toe-to-toe with SMC and MVP. Let’s be real—this trade would’ve been vetoed immediately if this involved Ginebra, San Miguel, or Magnolia.

And yes, I hate SMC’s lopsided trades too—but look at Ginebra’s current second unit. Look at San Miguel’s aging bench. Magnolia is the only SMC team catching a break this season, and even then, what they have still doesn’t stack up to what Converge is assembling. Remember, Dave Ildefonso is still coming in next season as a rookie. He could’ve signed mid-season, but he chose to chase the Rookie of the Year—and he’s still eligible despite his KBL and MPBL stints.

The bigger question now is ego management. How will Converge keep all of this together? Some critics already say Leo Austria benefited from San Miguel’s resources. Yes, he did... but no, that's not entirely because of luck.

Delta Pineda has proven himself too, winning two championships with the Pampanga Giant Lanterns in the MPBL. But Calvin Abueva isn’t exactly known for quietly fitting in.

In Titan Ultra, he was the guy.

In Converge, he’s just a complementary piece.

And with his arrival coming mid-season—right before an import-heavy conference—I wouldn’t be shocked if one of Abueva, Stockton, or Winston eventually asks to be moved to a team that can fully maximize their talents.

As for Titan Ultra, someone will eventually rise to help Joshua Munzon and Von Pessumal carry the scoring load. That much is inevitable. The real question is this: who’s next in line to “graduate” from the franchise?

Game starts now.