LOYALTY SWAP | EVAN NELLE GOES TO NLEX

I don't know what to think about the Phoenix Fuel Masters.

Sometimes, I think they are the other great hope to torment the SMC and MVP teams. But then, Phoenix also pulls off trades that make me wonder if the Fuel Masters, alongside the Blackwater Bossing, are the MVP group's equivalent of the SMC's Terrafirma Dyip and Titan Ultra Giant Risers. The only difference between them and Blackwater is that they are above them in terms of oppression.

It's like they are the Aliping Namamahay compared to Blackwater's Aliping Sagigilid.

Phoenix has a mind of its own, but at the end of the day, the Fuel Masters will always follow the whim of the MVP group.

I call it as I see it.

The thing I hate about the straight-up trade between Evan Nelle and Sidney Onwubere is that Phoenix could have done better. The Road Warriors have two first-round picks in the 2027 PBA Draft. Even if they traded Nelle for a second-round pick, it would have been better than getting Onwubere.

And no, I am not saying Onwubere is a bad player. It's just that he was released by NorthPort and signed with NLEX during this season's offseason. The former EAC product saw action just once last conference, and I think NLEX wouldn't have minded throwing in a second-round pick along with Onwubere.

Meanwhile, Nelle was an important part of Phoenix's campaign last season. The former DLSU Green Archer proved to be an excellent playmaker, especially when Tyler Tio was out of the lineup, a pest on defense, and a marksman from deep. It's not like it's easy to score three consecutive four-pointers in a single quarter.

NLEX GETS | EVAN NELLE

FACT: EVAN NELLE IS THE ONLY PHOENIX FUEL MASTER TO PLAY IN ALL OF THEIR GAMES THIS SEASON

	GP	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG
2025-26	24	6.88	1.88	4.63	0.92	0.21

PHOENIX GETS | SIDNEY ONWUBERE

FACT: SIDNEY ONWUBERE ONLY PLAYED IN ONE GAME FOR THE NLEX ROAD WARRIORS IN THE 2026 PBA COMMISSIONER'S CUP

	GP	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG
2025-26	5	3.60	2.60	0.60	0.20	0.60

Also, I don't know if Nelle is a bad teammate or a locker room problem, but he has been traded three times in two seasons. And if you think about it, Onwubere's situation is even worse because this is his seventh team change in eight seasons.

And why does it have to be NLEX? If Phoenix is looking for size, they could have traded him to Meralco for, I guess, Vince Magbuhos or Raymar Jose, or even to TNT for Justin Chua before he was dropped by TNT and signed with NLEX.

Wait.

Is that the reason Justin Chua was conveniently in free agency after Matthew Daves and Prince Caperal left the Fuel Masters?

TNT releases Chua and gets Onwubere from NLEX as well, so the Road Warriors can snatch Evan Nelle?

Hmmm...

I really want the PBA to be transparent about its free agency. Just give player contract indicators or player levels if the league doesn't want to disclose their salaries.

Honestly, it's like they enjoy getting backlash, especially with how imbalanced this trade is.