Kai Sotto will not be around when Gilas Pilipinas competes in the second window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers against New Zealand and Australia at the Mall of Asia Arena next week.

Are we panicking? Yes and no.

Don’t get me wrong: We need Sotto. His 7-foot-3 frame will be a hot commodity against the taller, more athletic Tall Blacks and Boomers. His experience playing for the Adelaide 36ers in the National Basketball League will be very valuable, especially when the game is on the line. 

After all, both countries beat Gilas in the FIBA Asia Cup in Jeddah last year. The Tall Blacks crushed the Filipinos in the group stage while the Boomers clobbered them in the quarterfinals.

In short, Gilas definitely needs him.

But Sotto — if his handlers are to be believed — is still far from perfect form.

He is just regaining his rhythm after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament that sidelined him for nearly a year. Yes, he dropped 15 points and 14 rebounds to lead his Japanese club, Koshigaya Alphas, to a 93-75 victory over Sun Rockers Shibuya last Saturday, but those numbers are just the tip of the iceberg. He can still do more given an extended period of rest and recovery.

Sotto’s absence could also be a blessing in disguise.

With him being reduced to a cheerleader, the Gilas big men can have a chance to test their mettle against the giants from New Zealand and Australia.

Sure, the Filipinos’ chances of winning on their home floor will be greatly affected, but having Sotto miss the second window will be good for the development of young big men like Carl Tamayo, AJ Edu and, to some extent, June Mar Fajardo, who is already preparing for the passing of the torch.

Justin Baltazar, who replaced Quentin Millora-Brown in the lineup, will also greatly benefit from the elite competition that the Tall Blacks and Boomers can offer.

Gilas coach Tim Cone puts it perfectly: We are ready to play and win without him, if necessary.

There is no doubt that Sotto is the cornerstone, the future of the Gilas Pilipinas program. His remarkable attempt to become the first Filipino in the National Basketball Association and stints in the United States, Australia and, now, Japan, makes him the toast of countless local fans. 

But Sotto is also dealing with a lot of issues. His Japanese squad also needs him in the B.League after missing him for nearly a year due to a knee injury. 

And now that he is slowly regaining his groove, what are the odds that he will get injured again after banging bodies with the Kiwis and Australians? Will it be fair for the Japanese who are covering Sotto’s massive salary to see him boarding the flight to Tokyo with only one healthy knee? 

Cone and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas definitely want to have Sotto back. But with the way things are going, it appears that they are also helpless because Sotto has an obligation to honor.

So for now, with Sotto sitting out, all they can do is to focus on Tamayo, Edu, Fajardo and Baltazar, who needs some more time building chemistry with his Gilas teammates.

But what if Sotto again misses the third window when the B.League is on break in July? Well, that’s going to be a different story.