TNT trades for Blackwater's Nambatac

MANILA, Philippines -- The TNT Tropang Giga have possibly found their guard for the future.

After an underwhelming season wherein the team bowed out of the quarterfinals of both the Commissioner’s Cup and the Philippine Cup, TNT has traded for Blackwater Bossing guard Rey Nambatac, Tropang Giga manager Jojo Lastimosa confirmed.

In the proposed deal, Lastimosa told Philstar.com that they will be sending Kib Montalbo and a future second round pick to Blackwater in exchange for Nambatac.

They already sent the trade papers and the squads are currently waiting for the PBA’s approval.

In the Philippine Cup, the 30-year-old product of Letran averaged 11.1 points, 4.4 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game for the Bossing.

If approved by the PBA, the Tropang Giga will have a key piece in the team, who is capable of being a great running mate of main guns Calvin Oftana and RR Pogoy.

“We will have a proven vet who can score and facilitate,” Lastimosa said in a Viber message.

Nambatac was instrumental for the Bossing’s 3-0 start in the Philippine Cup. However, the team lost their next seven games, before ending the season with a win.

His run with the Bossing lasted just three months.

After seeing a dip in his numbers during the PBA Commissioner’s Cup, Nambatac was traded from the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in February to the Bossing, for their 2024 first round pick and 2025 second round pick.

Both draft picks came from TNT.

On the other hand, Montalbo averaged just 3.4 points, 2.1 assists and 1.1 rebounds per game in the All-Filipino conference. 

The six-feet-tall guard spent his entire career with TNT after being drafted 11th overall in the 2019 draft.