Ginebra taps Murphy as import

There’s still no sign of resident import Justin Brownlee suiting up for Barangay Ginebra any time soon.

Looking to turn their fortune around, the Kings tapped Jordan Murphy as a replacement reinforcement when the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 50 Governors’ Cup resumes next month.

Head coach Tim Cone is confident that the 6-foot-6 Puerto Rican will fit perfectly in Ginebra’s system as he takes over Riley Grigsby’s spot.

Murphy, a product of University of Minnesota, is already in Manila to work on building chemistry with Kings before they plunge back into action on 9 October against Rain or Shine.

“He arrived this morning,” Cone told DAILY TRIBUNE on Thursday.

Murphy is expected to bring change to a struggling Ginebra side, which is last in Group B with a 2-4 win-loss record.

Although yet to be tested in the local brand of play, the 29-year-old Murphy, who went undrafted in the 2019 National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft, has an impressive resume.

He played in the NBA G League with the Iowa Wolves, Austin Spurs, and Greensboro Swarm as well as stints in Puerto Rico and Mexico.

“We like his inside and outside capabilities,” said Cone, who went for Grigsby with the four-time Best Import Brownlee still recovering from a spate of leg injuries.

Ginebra’s signing Murphy meant that Brownlee’s absence will be extended beyond the original timetable of his return at least at the resumption of games.

Brownlee has been out since July, missing the start of the Governors’ Cup, Gilas Pilipinas last three games in the 2027 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers and the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

Grigsby averaged 34.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.0 blocks, and 1.0 steal per game but struggled to bring more wins for Ginebra.

Meanwhile, defending champion TNT also took in a new import in Nick Hornsby while waiting for Rondae Hollis-Jefferson to fully recover from an Achilles injury.

Hornsby, who last played for Hangtuah Jakarta in the Indonesian Basketball League, will replace Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson, as he and Rondae recently returned to the US due to the passing of their grandmother.

“Grieving both of them in the US. We need an import ASAP and not one of them can be here. Grandma will be buried October 2,” Tropang 5G team manager Jojo Lastimosa said.