Rain or Shine sends Mamuyac to Phoenix for first round pick

July 17 ------ THE crack in the relationship between Rain or Shine and Gian Mamuyac was obviously irreparable. With that, the Elasto Painters sent the talented guard whose career blossomed with the franchise along with a Season 53 second round pick to Phoenix for the Fuel Masters first round pick in Season 53.

The trade was approved by the PBA office on Thursday. Titan Management Group, which represents Mamuyac, also confirmed the deal. The parting of ways ended the 6-foot-2 guard's ffour-year stint with the team that selected him No. 5 overall during the Season 47 draft. His stay at RoS saw the proud product of Ateneo rise to become one of the most dependable young talents in the league today, forming an explosive backcourt with Adrian Nocum and Andrei Caracut.

At Phoenix, he joins fellow former Blue Eagles and TMG talents Tyler Tio and Kai Ballungay. The trade ended back-and-forth contract negotiations between Mamuyac and Rain or Shine, which turned into a stalemate prior to the start of the season-ending Governors' Cup.

The Elasto Painters nonetheless, retained his rights based on the auto-extension rule applied by the league to players whose contracts expire during the season and fail to sign a new deal. Mamuyac played his final game in a RoS uniform during a 131-108 blowout at the hands of Blackwater last week, where he finished with 12 points on 5-of-12 shooting on top of six rebounds and six assists.

After the game, he told SPIN.ph of his desire to stay with the franchise, which he considers as family. "Iba pa rin talaga yung maglaro para sa mga taong you consider as family. And ganyan kami sa Rain or Shine, close kami lahat diyan. Napamahal na ako sa lahat,” he said. “I really want to stay and hopefully, may mangyari na sa negotiations.” It proved to be his final interview as an Elasto Painter.

Source: spin.ph