Rey Nambatac is finally a TNT Tropang Giga.
It’s official.
With some minor tweaks, the TNT Tropang Giga acquires spit-fire guard Rey Nambatac from the Blackwater Elite in exchange for Kib Montalbo, Jewel Ponferada, and a Season 53 second-round pick.
The PBA trade committee earlier thumbed down the initial proposal of Nambatac going to TNT for Kib Montalbo and a second round pick. But the addition of Ponferrada was the key to get the green light from the league.
Nambatac played a total of 11 games for Blackwater and averaged 11.1 points, 4.4 assists, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.0 steal per game, only spending one conference for the Bossing after getting traded by the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters to the squad last February.
[ALSO READ: PBA: Trade beneficial to Rey Nambatac, Rain or Shine, says coach Yeng Guiao]
TNT got a much-needed boost in its backcourt with the arrival of Nambatac, who had a stellar debut with the Bossing behind a 27-point, five-rebound, and 10-assists game.
Despite the return of multi-titled coach Chot Reyes, TNT failed to get past in the quarterfinals in Commissioner's Cup and Philippine Cup respectively after a 2021 All-Filipino title conquest.
[ALSO READ: PBA: Chot Reyes back as TNT coach, Jolas returns as team manager]
Meanwhile, Blackwater failed to make the playoffs in the last two tournaments of Season 48, finishing in 10th and 11th place respetively.
Montalbo was selected 11th overall in the 2019 PBA Rookie Draft and averaged 3.9 points, 1.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.7 steal, and 0.1 block in almost 18 minutes of action in a total of 23 games in his last season with TNT.
Ponferada played in 14 games for TNT last conference and logged 2.2 points and 1.8 rebounds per contest.