I don't know the truth of this story but in the wake of the Eat Bulaga debacle, another entity is taking its talents to other endeavors.
The Pineda surname has been around basketball circles for years now. They have baller nurseries in Pampanga; when ready, they would deploy these stars in the making to the college and semi-pro ranks. San Sebastian is a classic example of this situation with Calvin Abueva, Ian Sangalang, and Ronald Pascual making Central Luzon proud as The Pinatubo Trio.
With that said, the Pineda surname is also linked to a lot of controversies and I guess this is a red flag for the PBA. With that said the Converge comeback for the rejection of Delta Pineda is putting the franchise on sale. Converge came from the genealogy of Alaska and the Aces aren't strangers with regards to league rants. Frankly, up until their departure, the team has tried its best to make the league a level field. Tanduay's short-lived comeback in the 2000s also had a thing to say about the PBA being a San Miguel league.
Teams are either converted to conduits or farm teams or have to contend with San Miguel Corporation and MVP Group's many resources. Phoenix has tried its best to shrug off the culture brought upon FedEx/Air21 and Barako Bull to no avail. Rain or Shine is currently powerless to stop the big market squads.
But I am not putting the blame on the SMC and MVP teams. If I were Alfrancis Chua, I would try to destroy the teams by courting their best players. These players would either consider a push to join the squad or view the international route.
With the PBA finally softening its stance on international players, the first question I thought of was how the big teams would take advantage of this ruling. The free-agent rule was meant to give the players the freedom to choose career growth over the benchwarming route but it's hard to pass up a shitload of moolah.
And with their influence in the league, a maverick team like Converge is in their crosshairs.
While the PBA has seen some of its players take their talents abroad, they also need to think of the other teams that have yet to win a title. With the departure of Alaska, San Miguel, Ginebra, Magnolia, Talk N Text, and Rain or Shine are the only teams to win a title. In some ways, it's not an insane thought that an MPBL team can beat its lower-ranked squads because there are times when individual talents take a backseat to team chemistry. San Juan, Manila, Davao Occidental, and other teams loaded with former PBA players and up-and-coming draft prospects are notable examples.
Now that the best Filipino players aren't necessarily in the PBA, maybe it's time for them to ask the other leagues to create a super league for the Philippine Cup. Maybe the best 4 MPBL teams can compete in the league the same way they invited the Bay Area Dragons. The PBA On Tour is probably a testing ground for this and they can use their fanbases to get more fans inside the arena or check out the action online.
Hopefully with this in mind, SMC and MVP teams will lose a mighty chunk of their influence so teams like Converge can feel the love of the PBA.