Pureblends Corporation is expected to complete its acquisition of the NorthPort franchise by the end of this week, formally making it the newest team when the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) opens its Season 50 on 5 October at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

PBA commissioner Willie Marcial confirmed the development on Thursday during the PBA Media Day held at the Elements in Eton Centris in Quezon City.

Marcial said it’s just a matter of time before the sale will be formally completed. In fact, both camps are already working on providing the required financial statements and deed of sale to be submitted to the league before Pureblends official becomes the league’s latest squad.

“We’ll know before Monday. It’s almost a done deal. They just need to work on some pertinent documents,” the amiable league official said.

“They’re just working on the nitty-gritty (of the sale) through their legal teams.”

The team, led by returning head coach Johnedel Cardel and veterans Calvin Abueva, Joshua Munzon, and Cade Flores along with No. 4 overall pick in the last Draft Chris Koon, attended the video and photo shoot session wearing plain white shirts as the squad has yet to unveil the product it will carry for the season-opening Philippine Cup.

“They’ve already told me what they’ll be carrying but I would rather have the team announce it,” Marcial said.

Cardel, back after a one-year hiatus following his last stint as mentor of Terrafirma during the Governors’ Cup, said the franchise will make the team’s name announcement today.

“The first one that I’ve heard was Titan. But I’m not really sure if it’s Titan Max. But I think by tomorrow or within this week we’ll make an announcement,” the 55-year-old Cardel said.

“That’s the reason why we’re wearing white right now, because we’re not really sure what product our team we’ll carry.”

Pureblends is a food manufacturing company but also has under its products Titan Max, a male dietary supplement.

Cardel is taking over a team that has a competitive core.

Pureblends has also signed Von Pessumal and got Jeo Ambohot in a trade with Converge as part of a deal that sent Larry Muyang from Phoenix to the FiberXers and Evan Nelle getting shipped from NorthPort to the Fuel Masters.

“It’s just the same. There’s no weak team in the PBA. It will all boil down to how we’ll handle the situation with the players. You have 15 players with different personalities,” Cardel said when asked if it would be easier taking the reins of a team that already has competitive pieces.