The Starhorse Sea Titans were initially expected to inherit Terrafirma Dyip’s full roster, but is that really a good thing? Unlike the Tanduay Rhum Masters and Shell Turbo Chargers—who traded away their top players before folding, leaving FedEx Express and the Welcoat Dragons (now Rain or Shine) with only remnants of their once-powerful teams—Terrafirma had already dismantled its squad long before the acquisition.
By the time Starhorse entered the picture, Terrafirma had already lost its equivalent of Eric Menk, Dondon Hontiveros, and Jeffrey Cariaso, as well as its versions of Tony Dela Cruz, Rich Alvarez, and Chris Calaguio. More than just a struggling franchise, Terrafirma had built a reputation for consistently trading away its best assets. In fact, only six players have stayed with the team for at least five seasons—Eric Camson, Andreas Cahilig, JP Calvo, Reden Celda, Aldrech Ramos, and Juami Tiongson. Once their best player, Ramos was dealt away to the Star Hotshots (Magnolia,) and when he returned from Magnolia, his numbers were never the same.
With this history in mind, Starhorse could take a different approach by allowing Terrafirma to trade its remaining players for valuable assets. Mark Louie Sangalang and Mark Nonoy may have the potential to be future stars, but as late picks, their trade value remains an opportunity. Flipping a late second-rounder for a top first-rounder is always a win. Sangalang, a relentless defender in the paint, could command a Top 5 talent from Blackwater or Phoenix. The same goes for Nonoy—while he has star potential, securing a future Top 5 pick in exchange could be a smart long-term move.
If Starhorse can secure the top pick without resistance from the SMC and MVP camps while also reclaiming the rights to Christian Standhardinger and Javi Gomez de Liaño, the Sea Titans could quickly transform into a serious contender—just a few key pieces away from competing at a high level.