THOUGHTS | STANLEY PRINGLE IS NOW AN ELASTO PAINTER

So Stanley Pringle just signed a two-year deal to play for Yeng Guiao's Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.

I thought the new Terrafirma franchise owner would have his rights?

So what exactly is the new owner getting when they buy the franchise?

Hmmm.

Anyway, Pringle was supposed to be the prize of the 2014 PBA Draft, with Rain or Shine initially disputing his rights before GlobalPort eventually secured him. That draft lottery was one of the most controversial blunders in PBA history. The league went unbelievably low-budget, using toy balls with team names written on them, placed inside a covered virtual shoebox. It didn’t just look cheap, it was open to all kinds of cheating suspicions.

Why can’t the PBA invest in proper lottery machines like the ones Running Man uses to determine who gets a penalty?

Anyway, Pringle has finally expressed his desire to play for Rain or Shine. Coach Guiao has even mentioned in interviews that while Pringle may be older now, he can still log 17 to 20 minutes per game.

But that’s where my concern comes in.

If you recall Guiao's coaching days with Red Bull and NLEX, he had a habit of reducing the playing time of aging stars, including Nelson Asaytono, Vergel Meneses, Vince Hizon, Bong Alvarez, Asi Taulava, Cyrus Baguio, and Larry Fonacier.

Maybe Pringle is at that point in his career where he values winning over personal stats, but perhaps he should have waited for the Terrafirma ownership change. That franchise might finally start building toward actual wins.

That said, this is still a solid pickup for Rain or Shine. The Elasto Painters have an exciting young core, and while they already have veteran leaders like Gabe Norwood, Beau Belga, and maybe even Caelan Tiongson, a player with Pringle’s championship experience can still be a big boost.

The problem, though, is that bringing in Pringle could affect the development of their younger guards. Someone is bound to lose playing time. Shaun Ildefonso, for example, might need to start weighing his options because his already limited minutes could take a further hit. If this move also ends up hurting Luis Villegas’ development, then he too might need to reconsider his path once his contract ends.

Sure, Villegas plays a different position, but most of his contemporaries like Zavier Lucero, Keith Datu, Ken Tuffin, Cade Flores, Kemark Carino, Brandon Bates, Louie Sangalang, and JB Bahio are already carving out roles with their respective teams. Villegas risks falling into obscurity, much like fellow former UE Red Warrior Roel Buenaventura, who ironically last played under Guiao with Red Bull.

Even Damie Cuntapay, a fifth-rounder, arguably has a better pro career so far.

And knowing how much Guiao values his big men, it’s hard to see Keith Datu giving up his future role as Belga’s successor.

Still, Pringle could be the player who pushes Rain or Shine to the next level. Before he became one of the few bright spots on a struggling Terrafirma squad, he was a Best Player of the Conference winner and a key contributor on a championship-winning Ginebra team under Tim Cone. He knows how to win. He might even be the piece they need if they find themselves facing TNT in another semifinal showdown. Maybe this time, they won’t lose to them for the fourth time in a row.

If Pringle wants a team with a winning culture, and if Guiao is looking for a veteran who can elevate his squad, this move makes sense. Let’s just hope it doesn’t come at the cost of the development of the young talent they’ve worked hard to build.