Arvin Tolentino headed overseas if traded to SMB or Ginebra?
ARVIN Tolentino admitted he'll consider offers to play overseas once his current contract expires at the end of Season 49 of the PBA.
But asked a hypothetical question by SPIN.ph if he’ll stay in the league should Northport trade him to San Miguel or his former team Barangay Ginebra in the offseason, the 29-year-old forward let out a sigh and broke into a wide smile.
“Medyo ano yan, sir a,” Arvin said, groping for words.
“Again it depends. I still have to weigh the options. Can’t really say.”
Although he showed flashes of his potential as part of Ginebra’s bench mob, Tolentino didn’t really get to spread his wings until he and Prince Caperal landed at Northport in a trade for former No. 2 overall pick Jamie Malonzo.
Following the exit of Robert Bolick, Tolentino finally became the face of the Batang Pier as their top gunner, eventually leading the franchise to their first semifinals appearance in the post-pandemic era during the mid-season Commissioner’s Cup.
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It was in the same tournament where he won his first-ever Best Player of the Conference award - a performance that obviously drew the interest of foreign teams specifically those in the Korean Basketball League.
But at the same time, Tolentino’s name has cropped up in several rumored trades involving San Miguel, Magnolia, and even back to Ginebra, which selected him No. 10 overall during the 2019 draft and won two championships with the franchise.
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A member of the gold medal-winning Gilas Pilipinas team in the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, he mentioned about being open to all options on the table once his contract with the Batang Pier officially ends at the conclusion of the season.
Tolentino’s contract was good until the end of April, but league rules allow automatic contract extension for expiring players until the ongoing season is over.
“Siguro depende yan sa mangyayari in the future, kung anuman yung dumating,” he hinted. “Kung may dumating man o wala. At least merong options.”
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