PBA employs 1-import format

Only one import per team will be allowed to see action when the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) opens its Commissioner’s Cup on 27 November.

PBA commissioner Willie Marcial said they are close to finalizing the entry of Hong Kong Eastern as guest team but it will only be allowed to deploy only one reinforcement in the midseason conference.

But the Hong Kong-based club, where Christian Standhardinger used to see action, as well as other PBA squads will be allowed to recruit imports with unlimited height, opening the doors for the likes of former National Basketball Association stars like 6-foot-11 Dwight Howard and 6-foot-10 DeMarcus Cousins.

“We’ll only have one import but with unlimited height in the coming Commissioner’s Cup. We already discussed it with Hong Kong Eastern and they agreed to the setup,” said Marcial at the sidelines of Game 5 of the quarterfinal duel between San Miguel Beer and Converge late Sunday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.

“It’s just a matter of finalizing the contract. But in principle, we’re already okay with the (Hong Kong Eastern) team owner (Frankie Yau). I already talked to him the other day when he was in Europe.”

‘We’ll see. We’ll discuss this again after the end of the season.’

Last year, the league welcomed the inclusion of Bay Area Dragons, a Macau-based squad powered by two imports in Andrew Nicholson and Myles Powell.

The league, however, barred both imports to play together, prompting Dragons coach Brian Goorjian to shuffle them en route to an impressive runner-up finish.

Marcial said the same principle will be allowed as Hong Kong Eastern is expected to bring a number of imports that it deployed in the East Asia Super League.

“They can change import in accordance to our regulations,” the PBA chief said, adding that the original import is still eligible to return provided that he was placed on the injury or reserved list.

The replacement import, however, can no longer return once he’s been supplanted by the original reinforcement.

Marcial said they are looking at extending a two-year contract to Hong Kong Eastern.

“We’ll see. We’ll discuss this again after the end of the season,” Marcial said, stressing that the team won’t be having home games in Hong Kong this season, and will play its entire schedule in the Philippines instead.