WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PLAYERS WALK AWAY?

Are MPBL contracts really that solid?

All this time, I thought MPBL contracts were secure, especially for players who have just come out of college. I say this because they're risking their final year of collegiate eligibility. I also take back everything I said about the MPBL being a better option than transferring from one school to another if an MPBL team can waive a player without much consequence.

I'm talking about the recent moves involving Mike Phillips and Gerry Abadiano to international leagues. While Abadiano received the go signal from the Knights to join the KBL's Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus, the same can't be said for Motor Mike. In fact, Phillips doesn't even have a team as of this writing, which makes the situation even more frustrating if you're the San Juan Knights.

Worse, it feels like Phillips simply went AWOL on the team.

From the looks of it, Phillips may have used his Gilas Pilipinas stint to market himself to international teams, with the San Juan Knights ending up as collateral damage.

And it's not like Phillips was playing for a struggling MPBL team. He was one of the cornerstones of the San Juan Knights, an organization widely regarded as one of the league's best and one that takes pride in its rich basketball tradition.

Sure, Jinggoy Estrada is one of the team's main backers. If Phillips is that invested in politics and what's happening in the Philippines, then I understand why he was determined to leave the team.

Still, he was under a live contract, one that many players would gladly have.

If his motivation was purely financial, the MPBL has already shown that it can pay more than the average PBA ballclub. In fact, it has been widely reported that Phillips was earning a seven-figure monthly salary. On top of that, his contract reportedly included an opt-out clause should an opportunity overseas come along.

Again, there's nothing inherently wrong with exercising a provision that's already in your contract. But we also know how sports franchises can become incredibly bitter when they feel they've been wronged.

They're not calling what Phillips did illegal, mind you. Instead, they're questioning how professionally he handled the situation. And in the grand scheme of things, that's what makes this issue even more complicated.

Take the cases of Jamie Malonzo and Will Navarro. Both wanted to pursue bigger opportunities overseas, but their PBA teams wanted them to honor their commitments first. The same can be said for Bobby Ray Parks, whose career took a different path because of contractual disputes.

Then there are players like Greg Slaughter and Terrence Romeo. Their careers also show how quickly relationships between players and franchises can sour, and how those disputes can leave lasting effects on both sides.

From its days in the MBA to its current run in the MPBL, San Juan has always been committed to building a winning culture.

That's why I understand the team's frustration over how Phillips handled his departure.

Again, is it really that simple to act like you're a game-changer, only to abandon your team for greener pastures?

Because even if the separation is mutual, it's different in the MPBL. Players aren't just representing a basketball team. They're representing an entire city, and with that comes a different level of responsibility and accountability.

And this move triggers another move, as aside from the fact that moving to the MPBL isn't necessarily a safe bet, being waived can seriously hurt a player's PBA Draft stock. But here's the thing: this time, it's the player who chose his own destiny, leaving his team hanging in the process.

I don't like this because it's already bad enough that some MPBL teams struggle to pay their players on time. Now, there's also the possibility that college players could get cut, hurting their PBA Draft stock in the process.

I understand that PBA free agents are sometimes caught up in trades. That's part of professional basketball. But seeing UAAP and NCAA players deal with these kinds of issues before they even reach the PBA? That's just insane.

I'm a firm believer that leagues shouldn't prevent players from pursuing better opportunities. At the same time, players should also be professional enough to ask for their release instead of creating unnecessary drama.

Again, if players like Mike Phillips want to challenge themselves by playing in Japan or Korea, then by all means, go for it. But they also have to understand that the way they handle these situations sets a precedent for the next generation of players, especially those who aren't on the same level talent-wise. What works for an elite prospect may not work for someone who's a tier or two below him.