Greg Slaughter has obviously worn out his welcome at Barangay Ginebra.
The 7-foot center was officially traded by the Kings to NorthPort Batang Pier for Christian Standhardinger in a blockbuster trade that was long in coming.
The PBA trade committee approved the transaction on Thursday, putting an end to weeks of speculation on the fate of the two unsettled big men.
Slaughter went on a self-imposed sabbatical after the 2019 season amid talk of a disagreement with management on a contract extension and ended up missing Ginebra’s championship run in the PBA Philippine Cup bubble.
The former Ateneo standout now heads to NorthPort, just weeks after coming back to the country and smoking the peace pipe with SMC management.
Slaughter was spotted in Ginebra’s first practice of the season on Wednesday as speculation swirled on what was easily one of the biggest trades in league history.
It was a one-on-one deal that will go down as one of the biggest in the league involving big men, reminiscent of past deals such as the Mon Fernandez-Abet Guidaben trades. Jerry Codinera for Andy Seigle, and Marlou Aquino for Jun Limpot.
Initially, there were loose talks about sophomore guard Jerrick Balanza being added to the mix as questions regarding Slaughter’s playing condition was raised since he hasn’t played competitive basketball since going on a one-year sabbatical.
Nonetheless with the deal formalized, it signaled the end of Slaughter’s eight-year stay with the franchise that tabbed him as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 draft.
Although marred by injuries, Slaughter had a remarkable stint with the Kings that saw him win four championships, a Best Player of the Conference award (2017 Governors Cup), a place in the Mythical First and Second Teams, and a Rookie of the Year honor.
But everything went on a downturn just before the 45th season began when Slaughter decided to take a ‘break from basketball’ with Ginebra yet to talk to him on a new deal a few weeks after the team regained the Governors Cup championship.
It was around this time too, when rumors began circulating about the team’s plan to ship the 32-year-old former Ateneo standout to NorthPort in exchange for Stanhardinger, who was coming off a superb Governors Cup campaign where he was adjudged Best Player of the Conference shortly after being acquired from San Miguel.
Last September, Slaughter returned to the country and began to mend ways with coach Tim Cone and the rest of the Kings.
Just last month, Cone himself officially announced the team re-signed Slaughter to a new contract in a move that appeared to show the big man was back in the good graces of Barangay Ginebra bosses.
Or so everybody thought.
While Slaughter’s fitness remains to be seen following that long layoff, Standhardinger had another impressive campaign with the Batang Pier in the Philippine Cup bubble.
The 31-year-old hardworking Fil-German led the team in the lone conference last season in both points and rebounds, averaging 19.9 points, and a league-best 12.0 rebounds, while adding 3.8 assists, although the Batang Pier limped home from their campaign in Clark, Pampanga with a 1-10 (win-loss) record.