TNT Tropang Giga team manager Jojo Lastimosa shared how the team had plans for Troy Rosario's comeback, but the former Gilas Pilipinas player declined.
There isn't going to be a TNT Tropang Giga comeback for Troy Rosario.
Team manager Jojo Lastimosa confirmed as much on Saturday, as he shared how the former Blackwater Bossing forward declined TNT's offer.
"He really declined. He sent boss Ricky [Vargas] a long message, thanking him for the offer and all the years that he's been with TNT," Lastimosa recounted to One PH's Power & Play.
"But he says he's still not signing our offer and he's looking towards entertaining the offers of other teams."
Lastimosa acknowledged talks and reports that Barangay Ginebra San Miguel is considered as the "frontrunner" for Rosario.
"He's been saying he's been a longtime Ginebra fan. And you can't blame the guy," Lastimosa noted.
Rosario spent seven years with the TNT Tropang Giga, winning the 2021 Philippine Cup with the squad.
He was then traded to the Blackwater Bossing in 2022.
But Lastimosa said that even during at that time, there were plans in place for Rosario's return to TNT eventually.
"MVP [Manny V. Pangilinan] intimated with him that, 'Troy, we're just going to let you go now but we're going to get you back,'" Lastimosa said, recounting the apparent conversation between the TNT team owner and their former player.
But apparently, the situation wasn't ideal for Troy.
"He was saying when we traded him, he was not in a good situation because he had a problem with his son and all that was very understandable. And he was greatly hurt. And well, we couldn't control how we would feel about it, but we understand the situation. And if that's the reason why he wouldn't come back to us, because we hurt him the first time, then it's his decision," he added.
"But we truly wanted Troy back."
[ALSO READ: PBA: Blackwater coach Jeff Cariaso gets honest about Troy Rosario departure]
Rosario then left Blackwater after the Bossing were eliminated from the PBA Season 49 Governors' Cup, becoming an unrestricted free agent.
[ALSO READ: PBA: Troy Rosario thanks Blackwater Bossing for patience, support in heartfelt message]
Where will Troy land next? That's certainly a hot topic as PBA teams return to action for the Season 49 Commissioner's Cup starting November 27.