A new guest team enters the PBA, no height limit for imports. There's that and more in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner's Cup.
The season-opening PBA Governors' Cup is nearing the homestretch as four teams enter the best-of-seven semifinals.
But there's already plenty to look forward to with the next conference, the PBA Commissioner's Cup.
Here are the developments so far.
Hong Kong Eastern nearly locked in
Hong Kong Eastern agreed "in principle" to be the 13th team participating in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner's Cup, Commissioner Willie Marcial said, as posted on the PBA website.
"Kontrata na lang. Pero in principle ok na kami nung team owner (chairman Frankie Yau). Kausap ko siya nung isang araw nasa Europe siya. Gagawa na lang ng kontrata," said Marcial, according to PBA.ph.
Two seasons ago, another Hong Kong-based squad in the Bay Area Dragons played as a guest team in the Commissioner's Cup. They battled Barangay Ginebra San Miguel to a memorable Game 7 Finals at the Philippine Arena.
However, the Dragons were disbanded by the East Asia Super League (EASL) before they could compete again in PBA Season 48.
The Hong Kong Eastern then came in to participate in the 2024-25 season of the EASL with some familiar Bay Area faces, such as Glen Yang and Kobey Lam.
There's also Cameron Clark, a former import for the NLEX Road Warriors and the San Miguel Beermen.
One import only
Back in June, Marcial floated the possibility of returning the two-import format in the Commissioner's Cup.
See, teams in the EASL compete with two imports--a dynamic PBA squads struggled to adjust with when they compete in the home-and-away games.
Technically, playing with two imports is nothing new for the PBA frm the 80s to the 90s.
This week though, Marcial confirmed that Hong Kong Eastern would only be permitted to field one import.
The reinforcement can be replaced, but the original would have to be relegated to the injury/reserved list.
Recall that Bay Area alternated imports between Andrew Nicholson and Myles Powell during the 2022-23 Commissioner's Cup.
Nicholson was supposed to be the import for the final stretch, but an injury forced Bay Area to play Powell in the last two games of the conference.
Unli height
In Season 48, the Commissioner's Cup had a height ceiling of 6-foot-9.
For this year, Marcial said the PBA Board of Governors approved the move to have no height limit for imports in the mid-season conference.
Back in 2016, only the bottom four teams of the Philippine Cup were allowed to hire imports with no height limit as handicap.
"Imports natin for the Commissioner's Cup isa lang with unlimited height. Pinag-usapan din namin sa Hong Kong Eastern yun. And pumayag din sila doon," said Marcial.
The Commissioner's Cup is slated to start November 24.